Secrets
by Nefertari17
Summary: Okay, here's the story, Yami is dating Tea, but he's secretly and hopelessly in love with Yugi, but of course Yugi doesn't know that, but he too is secretly in love with Yami! Could love be anymore cruel? yamixtea, yamixyugi COMPLETE
1. Default Chapter

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews you've been sending me for my other stories, and now I have a brand new one for you! And it's one of my favourites!

And yet again, this fic is dedicated to my favorite cousin in the universe Tori (character Leo), and he loves it so I figured maybe you people would like it too.

Okay, just like in my other fics, the same rules apply, but if you haven't read them all, here's a little recap 4 u so u don't get too confused.

One – there are new characters in this story as well as the usual yu-gi-oh cast, namely Yue and Sakura from card captor Sakura. But there is also two other characters called Krysta and Leo, now, they're brother and sister, Leo being older and Krysta has Star Cards like Sakura and both girls also possess element powers of fire, water, earth and wind. And Leo is the all-powerful Fifth Element, whose powers are legendary, but a little more obscure (ie he can do lots of stuff) – oh and all four characters are living with Yugi and Yami until they can return home (more about that later if it comes up)

Two – Leo and Yue are lovers

Three – the past lives of everyone are intertwined, will tell more if/when it comes up so don't worry about it!

Four – I've tried to stay as true to the original characters as I can! Please don't be mad if I get it wrong!

Disclaimer – I don't own yu-gi-oh or card captor Sakura or any of the characters within it, but Leo and Krysta are all mine!

Okay here goes…ENJOY!

Secrets

Yami watched Yugi as he slept, sitting on the end of Yugi's bed. He couldn't explain the feeling that had drawn him to his young Hikari so late at night, but he knew he had to be there.

Yami crossed his legs, folding his arms across his chest as he gazed at Yugi solemnly, alert for even the slightest change in his little Light.

He watched as Yugi stirred in his slumber and turned onto his side.

And gazed as a single tear slipped from Yugi's closed left eye - and fell onto the pillow, vanishing into the cotton a moment later.


	2. Friendship and Lies

Chapter 2 – Friendship and Lies

The early morning sunlight was streaming joyously through Yugi's windows as he opened his eyes, the dawn sunlight falling directly onto his face.

Hmmm, he thought vaguely as he turned onto his back. Must've forgotten to close the curtains last night.

Yugi sighed and raised an arm to shield his eyes from the soft light. He blinked suddenly as his eyes fell onto the end of his bed.

"Y-Yami?" Yugi said startled.

Yami looked at him expressionlessly. He was still sitting the same way he had been ever since he had witnessed the lone tear that had slipped down Yugi's angelic face - but now his striking crimson eyes were locked onto his younger half's huge amethyst ones.

"You're up early." Yugi said cautiously, suddenly aware that his Dark wasn't responding to him.

The Light blinked again as he sat up, rubbing the last remnants of his sleep out of his eyes. It took him a moment to realise Yami was still wearing the clothes he had on the night before - namely his tight navy jeans and black shirt with his dark blue fitted-jacket over the top, along with his Millennium Puzzle and, of course, his assortment of leather belts and buckles, (the fascination apparently having rubbed off from Yugi himself onto his Dark half).

Again, Yami didn't answer, just continued to watch Yugi - no _study _Yugi.

Yugi stared back and frowned. "Okay Yami, you've officially freaked me out." He looked at Yami questioningly. "What's wrong?"

"You tell me."

Yugi recoiled slightly, taken aback by Yami's tone. Far from his usual serene deep voice, there was a hardness in his tone that Yugi had come to associate with him only when Yami was angry.

"You're mad at me." Yugi said without thinking.

Yami glanced away, visibly taking a deep breath.

"Yes and no." He said finally.

Yugi swept his blond bangs out of his violet eyes and scooted closer to Yami anxiously, now kneeling beside him.

"Did I do something wrong?" Yugi asked quickly. "If I did I'm really sorry whatever it was -"

Yami looked at him, making the Hikari stop instantly. "Why do you think you've done something wrong every time I'm mad about something?" He asked, genuinely interested.

Yugi sat back, confused. "But you just said -"

Again Yami's solemn look silenced Yugi's voice. Yugi's frown deepened worriedly. He honestly didn't understand what was going on right then. Yami was acting so strange, so unlike himself. Yugi knew he was naturally secretive, but after everything they've been though together in the last three years, he'd figured all that was behind them - maybe he was wrong…

Yami felt his heart wrench as Yugi cast his huge, innocent eyes downwards, suddenly looking achingly guilty even though he wasn't sure why. Sighing, Yami let his posture relax and gently slipped a hand under Yugi's chin, affectionately lifting his Light's face to see him.

"I'm not mad at you…" Yami said finally. "Just…"

He faltered, unsure how to go on.

Yugi looked at him concerned. "Have you been here all night?"

Yami nodded. "Last night…I felt like there was something wrong. I can't explain it."

Yugi pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. "If something was on your mind, why didn't you wake me? I can help you out anytime you like."

Yami felt a soft smile grace his lips. Despite begin subjected to it for well over three years now - Yugi's kindness always struck him. No matter what, his lovely little Hikari was willing to drop absolutely everything the moment Yami needed his help, or anyone else who needed him. For that reason he felt better at his Hikari's words, despite the gnawing feeling nipping still at his heart and mind.

"Yes I know." Yami said, gratefully. He looked at Yugi, his crimson eyes serious. "And you can tell me anything that bothers you, you know that don't you?"

Yugi was surprised, but nodded. "Of course." He smiled. "If anything I've poured my problems onto you way too much."

Yami grasped his younger Hikari's hands in his own sincerely. "I don't mind, Yugi, I never have. I only want to help you, my abiou."

Yugi smiled and laughed softly. "I know that." He gave Yami a cutely perplexed look as he went to get up. "Man, you're acting weird today."

Yami quickly caught Yugi as he stumbled off the bed, tangled up in his bed sheets. He smiled as Yugi blushed adorably, trying to regain his composure and thank him at the same time, making the fifteen year old look even cuter. The Dark watched as the Light hummed softly to himself as he jumped across the room, surprisingly full of vitality for an early Saturday morning. Yugi rummaged through the pile of clothes shoved into his wardrobe and finally pulled out a pair of bleach-blue jeans and a fresh white shirt - which he promptly threw onto his bed.

"So are you going to spill then?" Yugi asked, his voice slightly muffled as he rooted through the drawers at the base of the wardrobe, no doubt looking for another leather belt and his favourite buckle choker to put on.

Yami blinked. "Spill what?"

Yugi glanced at him around the wardrobe. "Why you didn't get any sleep last night."

Yami was genuinely stunned. "How did you -?"

Yugi closed the wardrobe doors. "You haven't changed since last night. Plus you've been here in my room which makes it a bit obvious." He blushed faintly. "And, well, you look kinda tired - not that you're any less gorgeous." He added quickly.

Yami cocked his head to one side, intrigued. "What makes you say that?"

"Say what? Oh, well your eyes are a little dulled which is usually a dead giveaway -"

"That's not what I meant."

Yami caught Yugi's hands, currently busying themselves trying to smooth out the wrinkles in his somewhat crushed-to-death shirt, and pulled him back to the bed, making him sit down with him.

"Yugi…" Yami said softly. "Why did you say that?"  
The Hikari's eyes brightened in realisation. "Oh the gorgeous thing? Yeah, Tristen had a real issue with that too," Yugi remarked. "I mean what's so wrong with a guy giving another guy a compliment? Because Tea's always telling Krysta she's beautiful and asking her what she does to her hair and everything, so what's so strange if guys -"

Yugi stopped abruptly. He looked up as Yami cupped his face in his hands, making the little Light look up at the seventeen year old levelly.

"Why?" Yami asked, his voice only just louder then a whisper.

"Well, you are gorgeous." Yugi said innocently blushing. "I mean…look at you. You have an incredible body, beautiful eyes and even looks that could rival Leo - and that's saying a hell of a lot considering how amazingly attractive Leo is when he isn't even trying."

So many feelings and thoughts flooded through Yami, but he simply couldn't process them all right then. Instead he filed them neatly away and forced himself to calm down enough to focus on what he had wanted to ask Yugi ever since he had opened his amethyst eyes.

Yami looked at his wonderful little Light sincerely. "Yugi, I came in last night because I thought you needed me."

Yugi blinked, stunned, but said nothing.

The image of that tear falling from Yugi's close eye flashed through Yami's mind as he determinedly plunged on.

"Is there anything you want to talk to me about?" Yami asked.

The Hikari forced himself not to flinch at the strange question, struggling to keep a sudden haunted feeling from entering his eyes.

_How did he know!_

Yugi shook his head, feeling his heart sink further into the widening black hole in his chest. "N-no, nothing's wrong right now." Yugi lied.

He forced his voice to be cheerful, despite feeling unbelievably feeling far from it, and plastered another smile onto his face. A more genuine curious look entered his eyes.

"Why did you think I was troubled?" Yugi asked.

Yami sighed, his own heart suffering another piece being broken off and disintegrating into a dust. "Just a feeling, abiou. I wanted to make sure you were okay through the night." He stood up and walked to the door. "I'll leave you to change now, I guess I should change too."

"Okay, I don't think Tea would notice anyway."

Yami looked back sharply. He stared in disbelief as Yugi began to hum again, bouncily reaching up to open his huge windows to the serene spring morning of the lazy Saturday. It looked as though he hadn't even said a word, let alone uttered them with a tone so sad it twisted Yami's heart strings unbelievably harshly.

He took in his adorable Hikari's cheerful expression once more and finally shook his head, sure he had imagined it.

Without another word, Yami opened the bedroom door and walked out, closing it behind him.


	3. Pain

Chapter 3 - Pain

A minute after Yami had left, Yugi felt his heart sear with pain. His legs turned to jelly beneath him as he fell to his knees by the window. Clutching his heart in agony, Yugi silently berated himself for the stupid remark that had so uncontrollably escaped his lips.

He honestly didn't know how much longer he could go on like this.

He stared for a long moment at the door Yami had exited.

And let the tears fall.

There was no way to stop them now.


	4. Boyfriends

Chapter 4 - Boyfriends

"Good morning! Oh," Sakura said stopping abruptly.

Yami's eyes snapped open, looking up sharply. "Huh?"

"Sorry, Yami, didn't mean to disturb you." Sakura said apologetically as she bounced into the kitchen.

Yami looked at her blankly for a moment, before realising he had been falling asleep on the kitchen table.

"Are you alright Yami?" Sakura asked, her big emerald eyes full of concern.

Yami forced a smile onto his lips. "Yes, I'm fine."

Sakura smiled back, oblivious to his secretiveness. "Well, cheer up, Tea's just called, she'll be here -"

The bell's tinkle of the Game shop door interrupted her.

" - right about now." Sakura finished.

Yami felt a more genuine smile cross his face as the fifteen year old scampered out of the kitchen to meet Tea. He had to admit, sometimes Sakura got his heart strings strumming as much as Yugi did, her cuteness was as legendary as his Hikari's.

He sighed and stood up as he heard Tea's voice filled the air, suddenly feeling a whole lot better he walked out of the kitchen and into the spacious living room.

"Hey sweetie," Tea said, turning to him from talking to Sakura.

Without a word, Yami pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. As the kiss ended, Yami heard Sakura giggle at them and glanced at her to find the younger teenager clasping her hands to her heart adorably.

She sighed. "I wish I had a boyfriend."

Tea smiled, enjoying being in Yami's embrace. "Why don't you just choose one from the long list then, Sakura? I keep telling you you're really pretty."

Sakura shrugged and slumped into the sofa to watch the Saturday morning cartoons. "I know, I know, but choosing one is so hard." She grinned mischievously up at them. "I was thinking of doing multiple dating and forget choosing just one."

Tea laughed and threw a nearby cushion at her. "Sakura that's cruel!"

Yami laughed as Sakura threw another cushion back at his girlfriend, giggling blissfully.

"I not really gonna do it!" Sakura laughed. "But I so want to get a boyfriend soon."

"Please don't," Krysta said rushing in exasperated. "They are _nothing _but trouble."

"It is not an unreasonable request, Krysta." Eighteen year old Seto Kaiba said dashing in after her.

Krysta whirled around defiantly. "Well I'm still not doing it!"

"Oh come on Krysta," Joey complained, entering after them both. "We really wanna hear you sing."

"No! it's too scary!"

"It's only to us," Yugi said, suddenly appearing behind Joey. "And you have such a lovely voice - please Krysta?"

Krysta sighed glaring at him. "That is so unfair," She complained. "Enough with the innocent look, you know I can never say no to you when you pull that on me."

Yugi's smile brightened. "Is that a yes?"

"What? No!" Krysta covered her beautiful face with her hands in defeat and collapsed on the sofa beside Sakura. "Give me a break guys, you know I get terrible stage fright."

Seto frowned. "But you're a model, people are admiring you all the time and you're fine with that."

"That's different," Krysta explained, looking up at the boys surrounding her. "They are looking at the clothes and mask of make up - not me."

Joey raised an eyebrow, glancing over the gorgeous girl with strikingly rich amber eyes and long wavy dark hair framing her perfect body. "I reckon only half the people looking at your pictures are actually looking at that."

Krysta looked at him blankly, not getting it. But Seto sure did and kicked him hard in the shin, glaring at him with his trademark 'death glare'.

"What are they trying to make you do?" Tea asked biting back a grin as Joey winced.

Krysta looked at her friends for help. "Seto wants me to sing at the party at his mansion on Friday. To about a thousand important people." She looked at her boyfriend defiantly. "And there is no way I'm doing it. Why don't you ask Leo and his group to do it? This is more his type of thing."

"I did," Seto told her. "He's agreed to provide the music with his band."

"So why are you asking me for?"

"Because I want to hear you sing."

"So do we!" Yugi and Joey added.

Krysta looked away. "If Leo's gonna be there, that's an even worse idea then before."

Yugi frowned. "Why?"  
Krysta sighed. "Because when I sing, my voice sounds like my Mom's, and Leo doesn't take it very well."

"Oh," Joey said taken aback.

Sakura looked at her friends and nodded. "He's a bit sensitive when it comes to his Mom."

Yugi looked crestfallen. "Is that why you never sing with an audience?"

Krysta shook her head. "Nope, that's because I'm scared."

"I can't believe this," Joey exclaimed. "You're the fearless Keeper of the Four Elements - how can you be so scared of singing on stage?!"

Krysta groaned meaningfully and looked up at Yami and Tea pleadingly.

"Help me out here guys," She asked desperately. "Yami make your Hikari stop giving me the puppy eyes."

Yami smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Actually I would love to hear you sing too, Krysta. Those few times when I catch you singing late at night just isn't enough." He glanced at Yugi. "And well, when Yugi breaks out the puppy eyes no one can resist."

Krysta stared at him in disbelief. "Oh, you're a great help, thanks a lot."

Seto took her hands and pulled her up and into his arms. "Please Krysta? It's just one song, that's all I ask."

Krysta groaned again, unwilling to be persuaded by her gorgeous boyfriend. "But it's scary," She complained.

Seto smiled. "You're not scared of anything."

Krysta pulled back. "That's not true. I'm scared of spiders, people creeping up on me, stages, my brother when he's mad -"

Everyone giggled as Seto pulled her into a passionate kiss, cutting off her voice. As the kiss ended, Krysta found herself clasped lovingly in the millionaire CEO's arms.

"Please?" Seto said looking deeply into her dazed amber eyes.

Krysta looked back detachedly. "Can I think about it?"

"Well I was hoping -"

Krysta's eyes cleared and her resolve returned. "Ask me again and you're so not getting any tonight."

Seto froze in mid-sentence.

Tea cocked her head to one side, smiling. "You know, you could've said that in the first place, Krysta, and avoided this whole episode."

Krysta smiled. "Okay, okay, all of you into the kitchen it's breakfast time, I'm starving."

Sakura bounced off the sofa and ushered the others into the kitchen. "Come on, it's my turn to cook today."

"Alright!" Joey cheered. "I knew there was a good reason for getting up early today."

Tea looked at her friend as she, Krysta and Yami were left alone in the living room. "Are you sure about this Krysta?"

Krysta laughed and shook her head. "No, but I really can't say no to Yugi when he asks me for _anything_. It's the advantage of being unbelievably adorable."

Yami felt his heart thud suddenly.

_Unbelievably adorable…_

Determinedly, he forced the words away as they began to ricochet unbearably around his head, and pulled Tea tighter against him.

"You guys going out today?" Krysta asked.

Yami nodded, forcing his mind back on the situation. "To the shrine, we'll be back later for the picnic."

"Alright, we'll meet you at the park, okay?" Krysta told them. She smiled. "Just look for the path of destruction and raised voices and you can't miss us."

Yami chuckled good-naturedly. "We'll be there."

His crimson eyes widened as he suddenly spotted Seto gradually creeping up on Krysta.

"Whoa!" Krysta cried suddenly.

In a flash, Seto had scooped her into his arms, bridal style.

"Seto!" Krysta exclaimed laughing. "You scared the life out of me!"

Seto shrugged. "You're missing Sakura making pancakes - it's quite interesting to watch, you were going to miss it if I didn't come get you."

Tea and Yami watched amusedly as Seto and Krysta disappeared through the kitchen door, offering a glimpse of Sakura staring up at a pancake stuck to the ceiling and the sound of laughter filling the air.

"Seto's really changed being with Krysta hasn't he?" Tea commented five minutes later as they walked down the sparsely crowded high street.

Yami nodded, tilting his face up to enjoy the warm sunshine. "He really has changed. these days he likes being around us a whole lot more. I think Krysta's really changed his perspective on life."

Tea glanced at Yami side on.

"Yami, why are we going to the shrine?" She asked.

The former pharaoh glanced at her. "You don't have to come if you don't want to Tea."

"No, I want to come, I was just wondering why." Tea said. "Everyone's down at the park for the Cherry Blossom Festival today."

Yami stared at the sky detachedly. "So the shrine will be deserted now."

Tea frowned, well aware her boyfriend hadn't actually answered her question. She couldn't explain it, but Yami seemed so much more distanced these days. True it had only been a week since they had started dating, but Tea had been crazy about him almost from the first moment Yami had gotten his own body with Ashizu's spell and split from Yugi from the first time three years ago.

Three years was a hell of a long time to like someone. And Tea never thought in her wildest dreams that Yami would ever like her back, until last week on a drunken night, she had bumped into Yami on her way home and spilled all in a fit of sobs, plus forcefully kissing him. As embarrassing as it was, Tea had never felt so glad she had been caught going home drunk from a college party she had gate crashed with a few friends from school on a dare. She hadn't even had the courage to tell everyone else exactly how she and Yami had gotten together.

But still, besides being boyfriend and girlfriend now, Tea felt more apart from Yami then ever before at that moment. At first when Yami had agreed to try being together, she had thought perhaps he was only doing it because he was lonely.

It was true. Yami hadn't had a girlfriend since he had gained his own body, despite the major interest in him from practically every girl in school. Tea could blatantly remember how every single girl swooned as Leo came down to their high school on his motorbike with his friends to drop off some motorized equipment the school had hired and Yami just happened to be there to give him a hand. The two indescribably hot young men doing hard labour in the spring heat had instantly caused more female casualties from randomly falling over things as they turned to stare, then anything in the history of the school.

Yami hadn't had a proper girlfriend until Tea had practically forced herself upon him…and suddenly Tea was being bombarded again by the idea that Yami was just with her because he was lonely.

"Yami," Tea said catching his hand.

The seventeen year old stopped, startled. "Tea? What's wrong?"

Tea looked at him closely. "Nothing's wrong with me. But you on the other hand…"

Yami sighed and smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, just little tired."

Tea looked at him suggestively, her blue eyes sparkling as she slipped an arm around his waist. "I hope you're not too tired for what I have in mind after the shrine."

Yami's eyes took on a faraway glisten. "The shrine…"

Tea pouted disappointed, either Yami was more tired then he was letting on and didn't get the hint, or he was choosing not to hear that part. She would just have to be a bit more obvious later on…

Still holding hands, they continued on towards the shrine.


	5. Sex and Coffee, again

Chapter 5 – Sex and Coffee, again

Yami stared into his coffee absently. He watched in childlike fascination as the dark liquid swirled around in his cup like creamy galaxy of white milk and black nothingness…

The shrine had been an absolute waste of time. It had been deserted after all, but Yami didn't expect it to be closed. It was a shrine for goodness sake, they're not supposed to be closed. Even after Tea's objections to Yami's climbing over the fence to get in, he still didn't get what he was looking for.

Yami had gone into the temple leaving Tea outside and prayed to the gods to give him guidance, a sign, an answer - _anything _that could help him overcome this problem that was overshadowing his entire life so heavily lately…

But he gained no audience, and no answers.

"Yami you're coffee's getting cold." Tea said.

The teenager glanced up and smiled as a sweet expression crossed Tea's pretty face. "I know,"

"Maybe you should drink it then."

"I would, but Yugi would kill me."

Tea blinked, setting down her own coffee cup. "Why?"

Yami smiled. "Apparently I get hyperactive when I drink coffee. He told me I was so unbearable the last time, he actually he forbade me to drink it ever again."

Tea giggled. "What did you do exactly?"

Yami shrugged. "I remember jumping on his bed, maybe pouring ketchup down the sink, left all the taps running," He frowned thoughtfully. "I know I did something with jelly, but I can't remember, and Yugi begged me not to ask again when I wanted to know."

Tea burst out laughing. "Okay, now you definitely have to drink it, I've gotta see what you do."

Yami raised an eyebrow. "We're in your parents' house, I don't think that's a good idea." He sighed longingly. "No matter how much I like it, or need it right now."

Tea stood up from the small table and circled it to Yami's side. She slipped her arms around her boyfriend's neck and looked deeply into his striking crimson eyes.

"We can do something else to wake you up, Yami." Tea said softly. "We've got a while before we need to leave for the park and my parents are out all day."

Yami gazed over this lovely girl beside him. Tea was so good to him all the time, and he cared so much for her. He honestly had no idea what he had done to deserve her.

Without a word, he cupped her cheek in his hand and drew her into a long, drawn-out, passionate kiss. As the kiss ended, Yami gazed into dazed blue eyes, suddenly feeling a whole lot more amorous.

"All day?" He whispered.

Tea nodded, already breathless. "All day."

Again, Yami kissed her, this time even longer, snaking his arms around her slender form to pull her tightly against him whilst deepening their kiss.

As he kissed her, Yami's mind was suddenly over-flowing with thoughts and emotions…only not the ones he usually had for Tea. These were familiar…

Yami forced himself not to freeze in shock as the feelings and thoughts from that encounter earlier with Yugi flooded through him, the entire conversation replaying deafeningly in his head.

"_Well, you are gorgeous." Yugi said innocently blushing. "I mean…look at you. You have an incredible body, beautiful eyes and even looks that could rival Leo - and that's saying a hell of a lot considering how amazingly attractive Leo is when he isn't even trying."_

Yami felt himself smile inwardly. Yugi was forever telling him how great he was, even if Yami never believed it himself. Usually physical compliments washed over him without a second thought, but when Yugi said it…it felt nice…and provoked emotions in Yami he never even knew he had. Even when Tea had told him that the night he had discovered her staggering home drunk while he was taking a walk, hadn't even come close to creating this reaction in him.

There was something about Yugi that touched Yami in a way even he couldn't comprehend.

"Yami?" Tea said as he broke off the kiss. "Let's go into my room."

Yami nodded. He smiled suddenly and turned to the table. He heard Tea giggle as he picked up his coffee and downed the lot in one go. As he did so, the sweet face of his Hikari filled his mind, making him feel all fuzzy inside.

Replacing the cup on the tabletop, Yami took Tea's hand and they ran, giggling up the stairs and into her bedroom.


	6. Sex Change

Chapter 6 – Sex change

"I do not think this is a good idea, Mistress." Yue said calmly.

Sakura stepped back and admired her beautiful moon guardian along with Joey, Krysta, Yugi and Tristan.

"You want to come with us, don't you Yue?" Krysta asked. "Leo's going to be at the picnic all alone then, and all his friends are bringing their girlfriends."

Yue folded his arms defiantly. "I still do not think this is a good idea."

"Look," Yugi said kindly. "All you have to do is look more human, rather then like a devastatingly beautiful moon guardian and then you can come and hang out with us."

"Yeah," Tristan put in. "Don't tell me you're not bored of staying inside all the time, Yue. You've gotta be suffocating in here."

"On the contrary," Yue replied coolly. "I can fly away whenever I want, the forest is right behind this house."

Sakura looked up at him. "Don't you miss being around other people besides us Yue?"

"No."

Krysta sighed and lowered her Elemental Staff, exasperated. "I guess that's it. If Yue doesn't want to come, we can't force him."

"Hmmm," Sakura agreed. "I guess all the girls at the festival without dates will just have to fight over Leo."

"That's gonna be messy." Tristan remarked. "I'll pack some more napkins."

Yue looked at the teenagers sharply, sudden, fierce jealously searing through his crystalline, feline eyes.

"What girls?" He demanded.

"Hmmm?" Joey said. "Oh, all the chicks that are so insanely crazy about Leo are planning to ambush him at the festival since it's common knowledge Leo's currently unattached."

Yue's fists clenched angrily. "He is not unattached. Leo's mine."

"And we have to keep you a secret remember?" Krysta said gently. She smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll keep those girls at bay."

"We'll help too," Joey added. "Since there are a hell of a lot of them trying to bed your boyfriend."

"Guys, that's mean." Yugi stated. "You know none of those girls will ever make Leo stray."

"I know," Tristan sighed. "But with the opposite sex, it's kinda hard to say…"

Yue looked defiantly at his mistresses. "Fine. I'll do it on one condition."

Sakura smiled. "Name it."

"You weave the spell so I can transform back whenever I choose, and I keep the use of my powers even in a human form." Yue stated.

Yugi frowned. "That's two conditions."

"I just thought of the other one."

Krysta smiled. "Done." She raised her staff, Sakura doing the same with her Star Staff as well.

"Stand back people." Sakura ordered.

The golden seal of the Star and Elements appeared brilliantly at the girls' feet as they summoned their magical powers, quickly melding into one large seal as the Mistresses stood together.

Sakura reached into her pocket and pulled out a Star Card, raising her staff to it. "Change Card! Bring out Yue's feminine side! Release and Dispel!"

The boys watched in awe as the Change spirit burst from his bounds in a swirl of pale green magics and wrapped around Yue's form in a translucent rope. As it did so, Krysta summoned the creative nature of the Earth elemental.

Just before her, the beautiful Earth Spirit appear, laden with vines over her humanoid form and exotic flowers woven into her long aquamarine hair, and gracefully bowed to her Mistress.

"Earth," Krysta requested, nodding in greeting to the Elemental. "Please create a dress for Yue, something beautiful."

They watched in fascination as Yue's form vanished within the swirling magics of the light pink of The Change and the natural greens, blues and chestnuts of the Earth Elemental as they wove their magics.

"I hope this goes okay." Sakura murmured.

Krysta looked at Elemental's magics thoughtfully. "Earth, how about a white dress? Something…simple but eye-catching."

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, make Yue a real head-turner with that dress."

Joey leaned closer to the girls. "Are you sure about this?"

Krysta nodded. "If everyone thinks Leo's got the most beautiful girlfriend in the world, maybe Yue will feel a little more secure about Leo being out all the time."

"Oh," Yugi said in realisation. "You're going to make the other girls interested in Leo think they haven't got a chance with Leo when they see Yue."

Sakura nodded. Her emerald green eyes widened as the spirits finally finished their task, and returned from whenst they came.

"Well?" Yue asked apprehensively, his voice suddenly a whole lot softer and feminine then before. "Please tell me it didn't go wrong."

The girls smiled and glanced at the boys. Joey, Tristan and even Yugi jaws had dropped in sheer disbelief.

"Wow…"

"What a babe…"

"Yue…you look beautiful."

If everyone thought Yue was the ultimate in perfection and beauty before - none of them could've imagined the female version of Yue to even have the _capacity _to surpass that - but there it was.

Yue had kept his usual looks, only having been softened to create a perfectly female appearance, the only major difference being his eyes were now normal instead of feline, but still silver-purple, and of course Yue's body. Now clad in the prettiest flowing white cotton dress Krysta had ever seen was a supermodel's slender body, complete with breasts and even shaved, shapely legs. His dress hugged his body at the bodice, the long skirt flowing outwards delicately, offering a soft silvery sheen woven within the cotton threads.

"Mistress?" Yue said, tossing his long hair over his shoulder, realising it had been set loose to flow down his back like a silken stream.

Sakura smiled and led him to the mirror by the hand.

"See for yourself."

Yue froze, gazing at himself.

"I still - look like me." Yue said softly.

"You are still you," Krysta said. "The Change had just altered your form a little and made you more female - and really brought out your beauty."

"I can't believe I'm going to say this," Joey said. "But Yue, you're prettier then Krysta."

Krysta smiled. "He's right."

Yue smiled, twirling around to admire himself.

"Is it wrong to like this?" Yue asked. "To like looking human?"

"Of course not." Yugi said. "But you don't want to stay this way right?"

Yue shook his head. "Never."

Krysta cocked her head to one side. "Yue…"

"Yes Mistress?"

"Can I use that dress when you're done being human today?"


	7. The Picnic

Chapter 7 – The Picnic

Twenty-one year old Leo Rivera sighed and lay back on the large comfy picnic rug, staring absently up at the pink mist of cherry blossoms above him. They looked so pretty and innocent up there, flowing softly in the breeze.

"Hey, cheer up, Leo." Marisa said good-naturedly. "There's lots of girls here if you want to get a date, you don't have to feel bad about being here alone."

Leo looked at her, tucking his arms behind his head, giving the darkly beautiful girl beside him his best mock-glare. "For the last time, Marisa, I am not looking for a girlfriend. I told you, I already have someone I love very much."

"When are we gonna meet her then?" James asked sitting down next to him. "You've been telling that line for ages now, yet you're always alone."

"Right, and there's lots of girls out there who would love to take you to their beds." Lex added opposite him.

Leo sat up and sighed, looking at his three friends and colleague mechanics. As much as he liked them, they never did let the girlfriend issue slide.

"Look, I already have someone end of story, so stop trying to set me up, okay?" He said. "I already have to turn down a dozen girls a day, I feel terrible enough as it is."

Marisa frowned. "You don't have to feel bad about that Leo, they know they could get rejected when they come up to you and ask you out, it's their risk. I mean I did it and I didn't mind."

James grinned. "Especially since she changed her mind in the middle of asking you and literally came onto me instead."

Marisa whacked her boyfriend in the chest playfully and shoved him away.

Leo laughed at his friends antics. "Yeah, I know. Anyway, I wanted to ask you guys to cool off with the sex jokes when my sister and my other friends get here okay?"

"Sure," Lex said. "They're all teenagers right?"

Leo nodded. "Yep and surprisingly impressionable." He looked at him. "Where is your girlfriend anyway? She was supposed to be here ages ago."

Lex sighed. "Her shift's running late and - oh, wait there she is." His green eyes widened. "And she's brought some of her friends and yours."

Leo glanced up, shielding his eyes from the sunlight to see Lex's girlfriend Anna with two of her friends from work, and Krysta and the others walking towards them holding three huge hampers between them.

"Hey guys," Krysta greeted them as they all gathered on the huge rug in the middle of the park under the shade of the cherry trees above them, and dropped the heavily packed hampers down thankfully.

"Hey Sis," Leo said. He glanced at everyone. "You people know everyone right?"

"Yep," Joey said. His honey-brown eyes glinted playfully. "Bet there's one person you didn't expect to see here though."

Leo frowned. "What do you mean?"

He watched in fascination as Krysta and Joey drew back, behind them, Ryou, Sakura, Yugi and Tristan too parting before him.

Leo's heart stopped.

"Yue."

Yue smiled. "Hi Leo."

For along moment, Leo stood there, completely stunned as he took in his boyfriend, well girlfriend now.

"You look…" He murmured.

Yue giggled and jumped into his arms, kissing him passionately.

As they did so, Lex's and James's jaws dropped to the ground.

Yue giggled, hugging Leo close. "Like it?" She whispered into his ear. "Don't worry it's only temporary."

Leo smiled. "Magic?"

"Uh huh."

Leo's friends stared stunned.

"_That's _your girlfriend?" Marisa practically shouted.

Leo looked up at his little sister and Sakura, unable to stop smiling as he held Yue in his arms. They smiled back, giggling as they nodded to confirm his thoughts.

"Um, I guess so." Leo said deciding to go with the flow of things. He looked at Yue happily. "Guys, this is Yue. My girlfriend."

"It's nice to meet you at last." Marisa said shaking her hand.

"You too," Yue said shyly.

"I can see why Leo was keeping you a secret," James commented. "I mean really - whoa! You're gorgeous!"

"Hey!" Marisa exclaimed, whacking him in the chest again.

James laughed. "Come on girl, you know I'm crazy about you."

Marisa blushed. "But he's got a point." She said glancing over Yue. "You are incredibly beautiful. I love your hair; it's such an usual colour. How did you get it?"

Yue smiled as she reached out to touch the baby-soft silver-white strands. "I was created with - born with it."

"And your name is so mysterious," Anna remarked. "Isn't 'Yue' the Chinese word for 'moon'?"

"So where has Leo been hiding you then?" Lex asked.

Leo protectively drew Yue into his arms. "Hey, what's with the interrogation? She just got here for goodness sake."

"Sorry," Marisa said, sheepishly. "But we just wanna know about the girl Leo's so smitten with, he won't even look at anyone else."

Yue brightened, looking at Leo. "Really?"

Leo nodded. "See? I told said you shouldn't get jealous. I love you, no one else."

Yue sighed, glancing thankfully at his mistresses. "I know."

"Well she explains why you never look at other girls," Lex commented. "Yue's prettier then all of them. Except you Anna, of course."

Leo smiled as Yue blushed; looking so adorable he just had to kiss her.

A few minutes later, everyone was happily digging into the huge spread of food, chatting blissfully as the warm sunlight shone down over the large group. Everyone was having a great time.

"Hey where's Yami and Tea? Didn't they want to come?" Leo asked playing absently with a lock of Yue's hair.

"Oh, Yami wanted to go to the shrine for some reason," Ryou told him. "Tea went with him - they should be here anytime now."

Tristan and Joey giggled, putting aside a brief moment to stop pestering Anna's friends.

"That's if they don't get side-tracked." Joey said mischievously.

Krysta looked at the boys. "Will you two give them a break? They're a couple now; you really should stop annoying them about it."

Tristan waved a hand dismissively. "Cool your jets Krysta, we're just playing. It's just so interesting because Yami hasn't had a girlfriend since he got his own - OW!"

Ryou smiled apologetically. "So sorry, my elbow slipped."

"Since _forever_," Joey finished pointedly. "This is good for him, right Yugi?"

Yugi looked up startled. "Huh?"

Leo frowned. "What's wrong, Squirt?"

Yugi forced a smile onto his face that was so obviously fake, it should've been a crime. "Nothing, I'm fine."

Marisa looked at him shrewdly and lightly touched his forehead. "Are you sure? You look a little pale."

Yugi blushed at the attention he was getting and laughed nervously. "No, no, I'm okay. I just zoned out for a minute there." He said quickly.

He was well aware of the disbelieving glances casting over him, but was incredibly relieved to look away only to see Seto and Mokuba Kaiba heading their way.

"Hi Mokuba!" Yugi called, grateful to finally take the attention away from himself.

He watched almost dazedly as fifteen year old Mokuba bounced over, already talking happily with all his friends, his eyes shining surprisingly as he turned to Sakura, sporting a faint blush that mysteriously seemed to colour the younger Kaiba's cheeks whenever he spoke to Sakura. Behind him his older brother, approached a little more regally, and impressively swept Krysta into his arms to greet her with a sensual kiss.

Again, everyone started to talk blissfully.

And Yugi's heart began to ache once more.

Everyone is so happy, Yugi thought glancing around at all his friends. They all are with people they care about and love, and I care about all of them too…so why am I the only depressed one in this picture? Even Leo's tolerating Seto kissing his baby sister right in front of him…then again Leo's too wrapped up in his own true love to notice all that much…

Yugi's heart ached even more then before.

_ True love…_

How come everyone can have it except for me?

With a sigh, Yugi stood up and straightened his jacket.

"Yugi?" Krysta said suddenly. "Where're you going?"

"I just feel a bit strange," Yugi lied, already feeling devastatingly guilty inside. "I'm going to walk around for a while."

Tristan frowned concerned. "D'you want one of us to come with?" He asked already getting up.

Yugi shook his head. "No, that's okay, you stick around here. I'll be back soon."

"Yugi are you sure you're okay?"

Yugi nodded and pasted another smile onto his face. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"Have you got your cell?" Seto asked.

Yugi checked his pockets. "I must've forgotten it."

"Take mine," Sakura said, pressing it into his hand. "Call one of us if anything happens okay?"

Yugi nodded.

The group watched as the teenager walked away, keeping his gaze cast at the ground he was walking on.

Finally, Sakura voiced what they were all thinking.

"Something's majorly wrong."

Leo nodded. "I don't think I've ever seen him like that. What's got him so upset?"

Tristan shook his head. "We don't know. He's been depressed for a while now,"

"He hasn't even been annoyingly bouncy on school day mornings this week." Joey remarked. "Something's definitely bothering him."

Krysta sighed. "I guess we can ask Yami if he ever gets here. If something's troubling Yugi, Yami's the first person he'll tell."


	8. Sleep?

Chapter 8 – Sleep?

Yami stared at the far wall. He felt more tired then ever now. And lying in a Tea's comfortable bed wasn't helping.

He felt the bed bounce slightly as Tea shifted behind him, but he didn't turn around to her. Instead he continued to stare at the wall.

For some reason he didn't feel as content as he had done the first time he had slept with Tea, he hadn't felt that contentedness at all in any of the other times they'd done it either. He was beginning to feel incredibly guilty that he may be taking advantage of her.

_Especially since through the entire experience I was thinking about Yugi._

Yami's heart thudded at the sudden, uncontrollable thought maliciously parading through his mind. But as much as he hated himself to admit it, it was completely true.

Even with the hyperactivity induced by the coffee, nothing could sway his mind from his beautiful little Hikari the entire time he was with his girlfriend. Yugi's sweet face filled his mind with every action, every touch, every kiss - his Light was always there taking over his entire vision with his incessant cuteness.

Again, the feelings for Yugi rushed though Yami's entire form, red-hot and unforgiving in their intensity.

This was it, he couldn't deny it any more - he had never wanted to in the first place.

Yami was in love with Yugi.

Madly, insanely, hopelessly in love with Yugi.

He had spent so long keeping the feelings hidden away; Yami had already placed too many locks around it, making that love impossible to break out.

Yugi had never given him a sign, a signal to show him that he wanted to be more then just Light and Dark, more then partners in Duel Monsters, so much more then just friends…

So Yami had never been sure. Never had the courage to confront Yugi and confess himself for fear of rejection and even worse, losing his friendship with the boy who had lit a match in his world of darkness that had lasted for well over five thousand years.

_When he released me…it was salvation itself…in my world of darkness, he was the Light…he brought me back from the shadows…gave me a family, friends, a life, a reason for existing…my little charge, my Light, my Hikari…my abiou…my Yugi…_

_But not mine._

Yugi wasn't his to have. The spirit of Yami may have been fused with Yugi when he was released from the Millennium Puzzle, but even as Yugi's Dark, he couldn't have Yugi for himself. He had no right to demand that of the sweet teenager.

If anything, Yami owed him everything he had now. His life, his body, his friends…._everything_.

A small smile touched his lips. "Even the fascination for belts and buckles." He whispered.

"Yami?"

Yami blinked, suddenly finding the lilac of the wall filling his vision again. It took a moment to register that Tea had just spoken to him.

"Hmmm?" He said turning onto his back to see her.

Tea smiled, holding the bed sheet over her chest as she tossed back her dishevelled short hair. "I thought you were asleep."

Yami smiled. "Sleep? What's that?"

Tea laughed. "If you're really that tired, maybe you need another coffee." She looked at him seriously, lightly running her fingers over his well-developed torso. "Or you can crash out here if you like. You sound like you need the rest. I promise I won't tempt you anymore."

Yami sighed and glanced at the clock. "I can't, we're supposed to meet everyone at the park for the festival today remember?"

Tea glanced at the clock and gasped. "Yikes! It's two already?"

She jumped up; keeping the sheet wrapped around her, leaving Yami to hastily grab a few pillows, and started to hunt the clothes strewn room for her shorts and tank top she had been wearing.

"Where did I put my -" Tea stopped, glancing at Yami. She blushed embarrassedly, giggling as she realised what she had done. "Oh sorry, Yami."

Yami gave her a mock glare and kept the pillows firmly in place. "Can I have my boxers please?" He asked, trying to keep a straight face.

Still giggling, Tea picked up his black boxers and threw them to him, daintily turning around so he could slip them on.

Suddenly the doorbell sounded through the house.

Yami glanced at Tea. "Please tell me that can't be your parents."

Tea smiled. "It's probably the postman; he always comes late on a bank holiday." She grabbed her shorts, finally spotting them on the verge of falling out the window. "Can you get the door while I change?"

Yami nodded. "Sure."

Not bothering to put his jeans or shirt on, considering the postman wouldn't care less anyway; Yami walked out the room and jumped down the stairs to the front door.

And pulled open the door.


	9. Breaking Hearts

Chapter 9 – Breaking Hearts

Yugi had never felt so alone. Even the street he was walking down was completely deserted; everyone apparently enjoying the Cherry Blossom festival at the park.

He sighed to himself and stared up at the sky. The bright blueness scathed his eyes, but he stared anyway. At least the physical pain outstood the mental pain.

But still his heart ached.

It had absolutely killed Yugi to listen to his friends talking so happily about Yami and Tea's sudden idea to become a couple. Everyone was so happy for them, and Yugi knew he should be too. But he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Every time he saw Yami and Tea together, all he felt was pain inside his heart and sadness fill his very spirit to the core.

He wasn't even jealous of the two of them, which he had to admit was odd. Yugi just felt sad and depressed. Of course he put of a cheerful face whenever he was around them, but he honestly had no idea how long he could keep on doing that. Just seeing them together made Yugi just want to shatter into a million pieces.

Just seeing them together just made Yugi want to die.

Yugi's misery deepened. Dejectedly, he cast his eyes around himself at the empty street, trying to figure out what to do. He didn't want to go back and be subjected to speculation on what Yami and Tea were planning for their future, or sit there and stare sadly as Yami and Tea showed up only do all their kissing in public; and Yugi didn't particularly want to go home, knowing once his friends figure out he's been gone a while will try and find him back at the Game Shop.

So Yugi kept walking.

The spring air was nice as Yugi walked, helping him to calm down significantly. There was something about the springtime that always seemed to soothe his very soul.

He glanced up at the cherry blossoms falling from a nearby tree, and instantly regretted not going back to the picnic. He felt so lonely these days; he really did love being around his friends - particularly Leo and Krysta come to think of it.

Ever since that fateful day the Rivera siblings along with Sakura and Yue had fallen through the Shadow Realm and into their world a few months back, they'd felt like family as they all lived together at the Moto residence now.

But Krysta and Leo were different. Leo was unbelievably cool and understanding, Yugi could talk to him about anything and Krysta was like the big sister he never had. She was so kind and gentle and reminded him of his deceased mother so much. She was so easy to talk to and took care of him if he was sick or got into trouble and Yami wasn't around to look out for him…

Yugi felt his loneliness heighten.

He wrapped his arms around himself as if he was cold.

If anything, he really missed the constant presence of his Dark half in his mind.

Actually, he missed Yami altogether.

Yami's had his own body for three years, Yugi thought. Sure I missed him in the beginning, but we live together, Yami's still there for me as much as he always was…well almost as much as he always was.

Yugi hated to admit it, but everyday, he felt like him and Yami were drifting further and further apart. Especially so in this last week. Just seeing him closer to Tea then to himself made Yugi's heart burst with grief as well as anger that he could ever feel resentment for two close friends falling in love - which made him feel even guiltier, then anything else.

As selfish as it was Yugi couldn't help but wish he could keep Yami for himself. He cared so much for his Dark half and feeling so distanced from Yami was tearing Yugi apart inside, until all he wanted to do was to hold Yami close and never let go. He couldn't bear to lose his Dark half after everything they had gone through together, after all the duels, the partnerships and friendships they'd forged together and strengthened over time…it all meant the world to Yugi, and none of it would've happened if Yami hadn't of come into his life that fateful day he solved the puzzle.

He couldn't deny it; he didn't want to.

Yugi was in love with Yami.

Truly, madly, deeply in love with Yami.

And yet, he knew he could never do anything about it, never say a word, never let on, for fear of losing the wonderful friendship with his Dark that he cherished so much.

Yugi glanced up again; suddenly realising he was still walking aimlessly. He blinked, staring around the street he had inadvertently walked into. It was Tea's road, her house was only a few metres way; he'd somehow just walked straight to it without even realising.

Yugi stopped dead and stared at the house. He knew he hadn't come here for no reason. He also knew this guilt was driving him crazy. Even if it killed him to do so, Yugi was going to get rid of it - and tell Tea congratulations to her face.

He hated to do it and deny his own heart, but it was the only way to get even a fraction of peace within the confines of his own mind.

After all, he could always run away and die quietly in a gutter later.

Forcing his body to work, Yugi dragged himself down Tea's driveway and struggled up the steps to the front door, resisting the urge to run away.

He was going to do this, he had to. He knew she must be home since she said she was going to go change before meeting them at the park and Yugi hadn't bumped into her on the way here, so she must still be home.

Taking a deep breath of spring air, Yugi raised a hand and pressed the doorbell.

Yugi stared at the white paint chips flaking off the door. He studied every crack, every pattern, occupying his mind with anything he could, rather then let his heart take over and go back to screaming at him at him not to break his heart and leave immediately.

There was a thud from inside a moment later like someone had just jumped down the stairs.

As the door opened, Yugi looked up -

- and froze.

He stared up at an older, much more gorgeous, taller and all around cooler version of himself.

"Yami."

Paralysis settled on Yugi as soon as the word escaped his lips. He stared in complete shock at his Dark standing before him.

"What are you -" Yugi started.

Unfortunately, his mind wasn't working as fast as his vision.

Yugi felt his heart stop as he deciphered exactly what he was seeing -

Yami in his _underwear_, answering the door to _Tea's _house.

Yami's crimson eyes widened at the sight before him. "Yugi."

He watched as his younger Hikari visibly recoiled backwards in shock at seeing him.

Yami froze and blinked startled. He blinked again, staring at Yugi. He was so sure he had just witnessed a flash of such burning hurt in those amethyst eyes, he instantly hated himself to the core - but Yugi suddenly looked so haunted - did he imagine it?

Struggling not to burst into tears, Yugi forced himself to look up at his Dark half, ignoring his mind screaming at him to run away.

He had to do this.

So what if Yami was there, obviously just been having sex with Tea? Everyone knew they were doing it now; they were a couple after all.

He had to do this. It was the only way his heart could begin to heal…

But still Yugi's lungs refused to work properly as he gazed up at his wonderful Dark that he cared so deeply for.

"T-Tea," Yugi choked out finally.

Yami blinked, still staring at Yugi, stunned. "She's upstairs, I'll call her for you -"

As Yami turned to glance into the house, he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. His heart racing, Yami spun around - just in time to see Yugi's retreating back as he ran down the driveway and back onto the street, looking like he was racing away from his entire life.

"YUGI! WAIT!" Yami called desperately.

Yugi ignored the cry as he ran, pouring all his strength into his speed, desperately trying to get away as fast as he could.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't go through with it. Just seeing Yami there in practically nothing at _Tea's _house…it crushed Yugi's very spirit. He couldn't stay there and tell Tea to her face he was happy she and Yami were together - he thought he could, but he couldn't. It was too hard, the lie was too huge.

He wasn't happy they were together, he was devastated - and he hated himself for it.

His heart was tearing apart inside him, ripping into a million ribbons.

He couldn't stay there; he had to get away as fast as he could. There was no way he could've stopped the tears from falling.

Blindly, Yugi ran and ran, wishing more then anything he could just run away from his whole life. Or at least something terrible could happen to him so he didn't have to deal with these feelings or this situation anymore…

With his heart pounding from hate at himself and love for Yami, his eyes burning with the floods of tears streaming down his cheeks, his entire body aching with excessive exercise - Yugi finally stopped.

Exhausted from running as well as from the grief gripping him, the teenager finally collapsed against the nearest lamppost, trying to catch his breath, even if he didn't see the point in it.

"Well, well," Said a menacing voice suddenly. "Lookie what we have here, boys."

Yugi's eyes snapped opened, instantly bolting up. He stared in shock at where he was. Without even realising it, Yugi had blindly run into the dangerous south-side of town in his desperation to escape his grief - the part of town even muggers were afraid to tread...

And right now Yugi was surrounded by five hugely built men, all looking scarily far from friendly.

"Hey there kid," Said one mockingly. "What's the matter? Have you lost your mommy?"

Yugi's heart pounded in dread as the thugs' grating laughter echoed around him. This was so not a good place to be right then - or any time for that matter.

"My, my, you are a cutie aren't you?" Said another, menacingly closing in on Yugi.

The teenager's eyes widened as the man pulled out a six-inch knife from his jacket and brandished it as he steadily came closer.

"How about we have a little fun with you, kid?" He said sidling ever closer. "It's been a while since me and my mates had a cute little thing like you…"

Another of the men closed in on Yugi from the side, looking lecherously at Yugi as he came closer, wielding a rusty length of chain in his hands.

"You look like a sweet little virgin - haven't had one of those for a while." He said, glancing appreciatively over Yugi's form. "You'll be a hell of a lot of fun to screw."

Yugi gasped in fear, backing away as far as he could. He blinked the last remaining tears from his eyes - but immediately felt new ones form as his back suddenly slammed into a solid brick wall.

Terrified, Yugi looked up as the five men began to close in on him even more, all laughing raggedly at the fun they were going to have with their new captured prey.

Suddenly the roar of a motorcycle engine slashed through the air.

Yugi looked up fearfully, in time to sleek a blood-red and black motorbike skid to a stop into an overcastting shadow of a strip-club sign.

"What the hell -" One of the men murmured as a slim figure slid off the bike and stood, overcast in the shadows.

"Touch that kid, and there'll be trouble." The newcomer said in a dangerously calm voice.

"Wha -!" One of the men exclaimed angrily. "Who the hell are you!"

The newcomer's deep voice was even more malicious as it moulded into a worryingly knowing chuckle. Yugi stared as the figure stepped out of the shadows and looked up at the thugs, his shoulder-length snow white hair and darkened green eyes gleaming in the dimness.

"I am the one who will slaughter every one of you," He said. "If you dare touch my little whore."

Yugi's eyes widened in sheer shock as well as indescribable relief. "Bakura!"

Bakura ignored him, keeping his gaze fixed on the five men now pulling out an assortment of hidden weapons and now drawing nearer to him, encompassing Yugi along with them.

"What did you say, punk?" One thug demanded angrily.

Bakura smiled his trademark 'I'm-more-then-I-seem' smile. "I said, if anyone of you ass-holes is thinking of screwing my whore, you've got death to look forward too."

"You little bastard!" The thugs cried out furiously. "We'll hack you to pieces for that!"

Yugi stared stunned at what happened next. He had no idea Bakura could be so ruthless - well he did, but not quite this much…or hear him _enjoying _himself so much as he did it.

The screams of the men were deafening as Bakura let rip of them, pulling out a pocket knife that was more like a butcher's blade and happily slashing into the thugs like this was his favourite hobby.

Yugi had never seen so much blood in his life.

"Well that was fun." Bakura said five-minutes later.

Yugi stared at the carnage before him in disbelief. "You just…"

Bakura looked at him dismissively. "What're you doing here anyway? The pharaoh should know better then to let his little Hikari wander down here."

Yugi looked away, feeling more tears sting his eyes. "I-I wasn't supposed to come here…I didn't realise where I was going…"

Bakura tucked his massive knife into the back of his jeans again. "This is bad-ass town Yugi; I suggest you get out of here." The seventeen-year-old pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. "This is no place for an _innocent_."

Yugi blinked. The way Bakura had said the last word made it sound like an insult.

"What're you doing here anyway?" Yugi asked curiously.

"I like it here," Bakura said taking a long drag. "I can mutilate the bastards here and no one objects."  
Yugi stared at him a he took another long drag and threw the cigarette into the gutter.

"Come on, let's go." Bakura said walking back to his motorbike.

"Go where?" Yugi asked following him.

"I'll take you outta this place."

Yugi stopped, stunned. "That's - nice of you."

Bakura smirked, swinging a leg over his bike. "Don't get soft on me. I've got a reputation to protect." His eyes darkened further. "And you're my whore for the day."

Yugi swallowed hard. "You didn't really mean -"

Bakura laughed mirthlessly. "Of course not. What d'you think I've got Ryou for?" He grabbed Yugi's arm and literally pulled him onto the back of the bike. "But, for appearances sakes…"

Yugi slid his arms around Bakura's waist, holding onto him tightly as the engine revved deafeningly, already knowing this was going to be ten times scarier then riding on the back of Leo's motorcycle.

The younger teenager squeezed his eyes shut as the air rushed over him with surprising speed, feeling sicker and sicker as Bakura swerved the bike dangerously around other vehicles and houses in general, until finally coming to a bone-jarring stop.

"Get off." Bakura ordered.

Yugi opened his eyes and stared in amazement at the Game Shop before him. Shakily, he slid off the back of the bike and looked at Bakura.

"Why didn't you go to the festival with Ryou? He told everyone you were sick." He asked.

Bakura smiled, surprisingly softer this time. "Definitely not my scene. As much as I love Ryou, I can't stand his fascination for cute things." The hardness in his eyes returned with a vengeance. "This didn't happen, understood? Anyone asks, I screwed you senseless."

"Okay," Yugi said weakly.

Yugi watched as Bakura roared away in cloud of burning rubber, narrowly missing an old man crossing the road and vanished into the distance, no doubt heading back into the south-side murder-ville.

He felt his heart sink.

Even a guy bordering on evil gets to have his true love, he thought miserably.

His heart searing with grief, Yugi ran into his house and darted up to his bedroom, locking the door behind him before he let the tears fall once more.


	10. Misunderstanding

Note – okay, a tiny reference to Leo's past comes up in this chapter and perhaps later on, so just so you know – Leo is the reincarnated form of Eclipse. He was Yami's older cousin in Ancient Egypt and also his Protector. Eclipse took care of Yami all his life and just like Yami, he was a Prince too (before Yami became pharaoh obviously), but Eclipse revoked his prince-hood when he fell in love with the High Priestess and gave up his status in order to marry her. Yami always listens to Eclipse.

Chapter 10 - Misunderstanding

"Yami! What're you doing?!" Tea exclaimed.

Yami half-turned to her, wanting more then anything to just chase after his little Hikari, his heart bursting with worry.

"Yugi - I've gotta - he was -" Yami started, trying to form a complete sentence through the rising hysteria. "I've gotta go!"

Tea caught his arm quickly before her boyfriend could dash out the door. "Yami! You're in your underwear!"

Yami froze and looked down. On the verge of yelling something so obscene he'd be ashamed of himself, Yami whirled around and dashed back up the stairs to find his clothes.

"Yami, what happened?" Tea asked urgently, following him back into her bedroom.

"Yugi was just here," Yami told her quickly, pulling on his jeans.

"Yugi? I thought he was at the park with everyone else."

"I think he was," Yami said, finally locating his shirt. "He was looking for you, Tea, then when I went to call you -" He struggled into his shirt and began pulling on his trainers. " - he just ran off."

"Just like that?"

Yami looked at her seriously, finally fully-clothed again. "Something's wrong, Tea, really wrong."

"Well you can't chase him now," Tea mused. "He could be anywhere by now. Why don't we go to the park? Maybe he'll head back there."

Yami collapsed against the wall, holding his jacket to his chest. He could feel his heart pounding so hard out of sheer anxiety. His mind flashed back to that moment he had witnessed such hurt flashing through Yugi's eyes.

In that moment, as his young Hikari had looked up at him, Yugi has just seemed so…_devastated_. An expression on his Light's face that Yami would trade the whole world never to see in Yugi's amethyst eyes ever again. But he didn't understand why…

"Yami?" Tea said.

Yami opened his eyes and nodded. "The park, let's go."

Throwing his jacket around his shoulders, Yami and Tea left the house and headed for the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Five minutes of running later, the couple sighed in relief as they spotted their group of friends chatting away in the shade of a huge overhanging cluster of cherry trees.

"Hey guys!" Sakura called as the couple wove their way around people to reach them. "So you finally made it then?"

"Sorry, we're late," Tea said breathlessly.

"Uh huh," Joey said mischievously. "I'm sure what you were doing was a whole lot more fun."

Tea blushed as the teenagers giggled at the remark, but Yami paid no heed.

"Have any of you seen Yugi?" Yami asked urgently.

Krysta shook her head. "He left for a walk, he said he wasn't feeling very well."

"You mean he didn't come back here?" Tea asked worriedly.

"No, he's not back yet," Leo replied. He looked at the two of them shrewdly. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Come to think of it, he has been gone for a while." Ryou commented. "Maybe you should check up on him," Lex offered. "If the kid was sick, he might've gotten into trouble."

"Why don't you call and see where he is?" Seto suggested.

Instantly, Yami reached for his cell phone, and yet again almost cursed the gods themselves as he realised he hadn't brought it with him.

"I'll do it," Krysta offered, taking out her own cell phone.

Yami and Tea were pulled down onto the mat by Joey and Mokuba and quickly subjected to endless questions and conversations as they did so. Politely they cooperated, but Yami's mind was focussed on Krysta.

"Hey Yugi," Krysta said. "How are you feeling?"

Yami's heart pounded as he listened into the conversation.

"Oh, are you sure?" Krysta said. "Do you want me to come home and get it for you? … alright if you can manage…hey, don't worry about that, you just get better okay? And call me if you need to…alright, bye."

"What did he say?" Yami asked before his friend had even hung up.

Krysta looked at him. "Yugi's at home, he said he still doesn't feel too well so he's gonna lie down for a while." She smiled kindly at Yami. "Don't be so worried, Yami."

Yami sat back, feeling his girlfriend's arms slipping around his waist. But even with Krysta's soothing voice, his heart wouldn't stop racing out of worry.

"See?" Tea said softly from beside him. "Yugi was probably just acting a little out of it because he wasn't feeling too well. I'm sure he'll be better off after some rest."

Yami didn't answer. Vaguely, he heard the others discussing Yugi concernedly, but all dismissed it with the thought that after some rest their young friend will be right back to normal.

But something deep inside Yami didn't think so.

Discreetly closing his eyes, Yami focused his energy, and opened the direct, telepathic mind link to Yugi - or at least tried to.

"He's blocking me." Yami said, his eyes snapping open.

"What?" Joey said beside him.

Yami looked at him worriedly. "Yugi's blocking our mind link."

"Shhh," Joey said urgently, quickly lowering his voice. "Hey, you wanna tone it down? Leo's mechanics are here you know, not to mention half of Domino too."

"He's blocking me," Yami said anxiously. "Why would he do that?"  
"Yami, Krysta just said Yugi was going to lie down, he's probably asleep, that's all. That's why he can't hear you."

Yami sat back, mentally kicking himself for missing the obvious.

Joey frowned looking at his friend troubled. "What's up with you? You haven't been this worried about Yugi since his mind was trapped in the Shadow Realm."

Yami shook his head, trying to fathom his own panic-stricken emotions. "I know…I just…"

"Look, let's just have a nice picnic, okay?" Joey said, slipping an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Then as soon as we pry you away from Tea, we can go home and you can see Yugi, alright?"

Yami shook his head and stood up. "I'm going home."

Mokuba looked up at him in confusion. "But you just got here."

"I need to talk to Yugi about something," Yami said.

Joey frowned. "Can't it wait?"

Yami shook his head and turned to leave. "Sorry guys,"

"Yami,"

The teenager turned around and looked into startlingly vivid azure blue eyes.

"Yami," Leo said seriously. "I don't think you should go now."

Yami stared at him, instantly recognising the meaningful glint in the young man's eyes - a glint that Eclipse used to have when he too knew more then he was letting on…

"Why?" Yami asked, almost dreading the answer.

Leo looked at him. "I think Yugi just needs to rest up right now. He didn't seem very well a few minutes ago. You can talk to him later."

Yami didn't object as Tristan took his arm and pulled him down again, already offering him some of the delicious food available. Just as he went to ask why, something incredibly beautiful in Leo's arms finally caught his eye.

Yami stared in pure shock. "Yue?"


	11. Hidden Doors

Chapter 11 – Hidden Doors

"Does anyone want dinner or not?" Krysta asked idly.

"Definitely not. I am sooo stuffed." Sakura sighed slumping onto the sofa. "I'm never eating another bite ever again."

Krysta smiled as her friend rested her head on her lap. "It was a fantastic picnic wasn't it?"

"Sure was," Yue sighed.

The girls looked up at their moon guardian and smiled affectionately. Now back in the Moto living room several hours later, the group was happily slouching around nursing overly-full stomachs, and Yue was once more back to his regular male form.

"See?" Krysta said. "We told you it'd be fun if you came."

Yue smiled, curling up in the arm chair. "Yes you did, thank you."

"Plus, every girl whose nuts over Leo has seen you and now know they haven't got a chance in hell of winning Leo for themselves." Sakura added.

Yue sighed in relief. "I cannot believe I was so jealous all this time…" His feline eyes softened as he thought about his lovely boyfriend. "Leo only loves me."

Krysta giggled. "That he does. And it's totally hilarious when you see the stunts some of those girls pull to try and win him."

Suddenly her eyes caught on a person who hadn't said a word for a very long time. She frowned concerned.

"Yami? Are you alright?"

On the window seat, Yami glanced up sharply, apparently being dragged out of his thoughts and back into the real world. "Sorry?"

"Are you okay?" Krysta asked again. "You seem a bit out of it."

Yami forced a smile onto his face. "I'm okay."

"You're still tired, aren't you?" Sakura stated.

Yami looked at her, once again struck by her perceptiveness for one who constantly was missing the most obvious. "A little."

He sighed inwardly, casting his gaze back out at the early stages of the sunset over the rooftops of Domino. He felt his misery deepen despite the spectacular display. As much as he loved to watch the sunset, it was definitely not offering him any comfort right then.

Even through the lovely picnic and then the tour of the activities going on during the Cherry Blossom Festival, Yami's mind had been set on his little Hikari. For some reason he just couldn't stop thinking about him. Yugi's sweet face invaded his mind with every passing thought, every direction he looked, every activity he tried to do to take his mind off him - but nothing worked. All he could think about was Yugi.

And that moment of pure despair that had flitted through Yugi's innocent amethyst eyes in that last moment he had seen him…

Even after getting home, Yami hadn't been able to see him. For some reason Yugi had locked his bedroom door and kept the mind link blocked from Yami and everyone else trying to come in to see him.

Everyone just figured Yugi was still asleep…

And as desperately as Yami wanted to see him, if his Light really was asleep, perhaps it was better to leave him to rest even if Yugi himself had told him Yami could wake him anytime he liked if he needed to talk.

Maybe he was just ill, Yami thought sadly. Maybe I am just reading too much into this situation, even that flicker of anguish in his eyes…maybe I just imagined it there because I want Yugi to feel more for me then just his friend and Dark side…maybe there really is no hope after all…

Just then, Tea and Leo walked into the living room, Leo idly flipping through a Formula One racing magazine as Tea collapsed into the sofa beside Sakura.

"You okay to stay later then, Tea?" Krysta asked.

Tea nodded. "Yep, thanks guys, my parents still aren't home yet."

Sakura looked up at Leo as she sat up. "I thought you were going for a shower,"

"I was," Leo said taking a seat on the arm of the armchair by his boyfriend. "Yugi's in the bathroom, and I need my razor."

Krysta glanced up in confusion. "He's still in there?"

Leo frowned. "What do you mean?"

Krysta sat up, well aware that everyone was listening now. "I went up there to get my dress out the bathroom and Yugi was in there." She checked her watch. "Leo, that was over two hours ago."

"That's a long time to be in the bathroom." Sakura commented.

"I thought he was asleep." Tea said confused.

Leo stood up, holding his hands up as the worried teenagers all stood up to go find Yugi.

"Look, I'm sure he's okay, I just came from there." Leo said reassuringly. "You guys stay here, let me go talk to him."

"But -" Yami started, already heading for the door anxiously.

"Really Yami," Leo said meaningfully.

Yami looked up at him worriedly. "You know something don't you?"

Leo looked at his friend sympathetically. "I know Yugi doesn't really want to see anyone right now. So I'm hoping he'll make an exception for me."

Yami watched him go, feeling the wisdom of Eclipse once more emanating from Leo. If anything, in Leo's past life as Eclipse, Yami's cousin and Protector when he was Pharaoh, Eclipse always knew what to do in a tricky situation such as this - especially when all the facts weren't known.

"Yami," Tea said gently taking his hand. "Whatever's wrong, I'm sure Leo will help Yugi sort it out."

As much as he hated to do it, Yami nodded reluctantly, feeling more and more like his bond with Yugi was breaking beyond repair with every passing moment.


	12. Downfall

Chapter 12 - Downfall

The water was cold now. Yugi had no idea how long he had been sitting there in the bath - but obviously it was long enough for the water to change from scathing hot to freezing cold.

Detachedly he ran the tops of his fingers over the surface of the water, marvelling in silence at the way it rippled out prettily even from the lightest of touches…even falling tears…

Yugi's tears had finally run dry, his eyes now aching and no doubt red and puffy with weeping. He couldn't cry any more, there wasn't any point, any reason to keep doing it.

His grief was too much to bear, so now he just sat in the clear water, hugging his knees, just staring at nothing and wondering why his heart couldn't just stop beating then and there.

There was no hope in him anymore, no reason for going on, for living…

Yami was lost.

And Yugi wanted to die.

There was a soft knock at the door, but Yugi didn't look up.

"Yugi?" Said a slightly muffled male voice. "Yugi its Leo, can I come in?"

It took all Yugi's effort to force his voice to work, but as it left his lips, his words were cracked and emotional, far from putting across the idea that everything was fine so Leo could go away now.

"I'm in the bath."

"I know that." Leo said, his voice suddenly a whole lot clearer.

Before Yugi could even look up, he felt the softness of a towel draping across his shivering shoulders.

"Hey there," Leo said softly.

Yugi stared at the twenty-one year old, now kneeling beside the bathtub, tenderly holding a fluffy towel around him. His eyes flickered slowly to the door - it was still closed, but the lock was well and truly undone.

"How did you get in here?" Yugi whispered detachedly.

Leo smiled. "Locks are my specialty."

Despite his smile, Leo was suddenly very, very worried. The younger teenager looked so distraught right then, it broke his heart just to see those big innocent amethyst eyes so bloodshot and puffy from hours of crying in despair and all alone.

He watched with an aching heart as Yugi turned back to stare into the water around him again.

"Yugi," Leo said gently. "You're not really sick, are you? At least not in the conventional sense."

Slowly, Yugi shook his head. "No, I'm not sick." He said quietly, still staring into nothingness.

Leo sighed, gazing at the fifteen year old. "Yugi you know you can talk to me about anything."

Finally, Yugi looked at Leo, his eyes suddenly brimming with more tears falling down his ashen cheeks in despair. "No," He whispered, distraught. "I can't."

Leo frowned anxiously. "Why not?"

More tears streamed down Yugi's cheeks. "You wouldn't understand." He choked out.

Leo closed his eyes. "What it's like to love someone so deeply and know you can never have them?" He said quietly.

Yugi looked up sharply, making the water splash around him as he stared at Leo in shock.

Leo opened his eyes and gazed back sadly. "Yes I do know." He said. "And I hate that you have to go through this when you're so young."

Yugi gazed at him in wonder. "How?" He whispered.

Leo's eyes softened on the teenager. "I saw the way you were acting. Distancing yourself from everyone, resorting to masking your feelings, even lying to us. I know, because I did it myself."

Yugi looked away. "I-I didn't want to lie to everyone…but I couldn't deal with it…I thought that I could, but I couldn't…it was too hard to keep inside…"

"Until it got to the point when all you wanted to do was rip out your heart just to stop it from aching whenever you saw him." Leo finished.

Yugi nodded, gazing at Leo with newfound awe. He knew Leo had been so badly hurt in the past. He had really fallen to rock bottom in his life before he finally got the courage and will to climb his way back towards the light…and Yue was there to pull him up as he reached the edge…but he had no idea that Leo had been so depressed over Yue like Yugi himself felt right now. Leo was one of the strongest persons Yugi had ever met, he honestly had no idea he had gone through the same hell agonising over Yue…

Yugi felt his heart twist. "But you got to have your true love."

Leo took a deep breath, casting his gaze over the teenager before him. True he as gone through the same type of anguish when he was falling in love with Yue, but…Yugi was so young, Leo himself had been nineteen at the time, Yugi was just too young to deal with issues so much bigger then himself, it was a miracle he hadn't already broken down with this burden on his shoulders.

Leo looked at Yugi kindly. "You're in love with Yami, aren't you?"

Unsurprised at his friend's perceptiveness, Yugi looked up at him, feeling his heart burst with yet more grief, and nodded.

Leo sighed. "I thought so."

Yugi closed his eyes wishing more then anything to stop the unbearable ache in his chest. "I can't bear it anymore Leo. I tried to hard to be happy for him, but very time I see him…I just want to die…" He turned tear-filled eyes onto Leo's. "I went to see Tea when I left the park, I couldn't deal with the guilt of resenting them being together anymore, so I wanted to tell her I was happy for her…just to clear my own mind…" Yugi choked on his own tears, his throat suddenly constricting painfully as he recalled what had happened next. "But-but when the door opened - he was - I couldn't - I just - I couldn't -"

"Yami was there?" Leo asked gently.

Yugi nodded, wanting more they anything to just curl up and let the world explode around him. "He opened the door - and he - I didn't think - he was at her house - they'd just been - he was in his underwear -"

Leo felt his heart break as Yugi collapsed into more floods of tears, his whole body shaking out of sheer grief that he couldn't even bring himself to say what had happened.

"Hey, it's okay." Leo said soothingly, reassuringly rubbing Yugi's back. "It's okay."

"I-I know they're a couple now," Yugi choked out between sobs. "I-I didn't realise it would hurt this much…"

"Its okay, Yugi," Leo said consolingly slipping an arm around his trembling shoulders. "Just don't think about it now, alright?"

Yugi nodded and didn't object as Leo gently made him stand up in the bathtub, wrapping the towel around his shivering form tighter. Without even asking, Yugi slipped his arms around Leo's waist wanting more then anything to have some human contact that he had been depriving himself of for the last several days.

"Feeling better now?" Leo asked a few minutes later, gently stroking the younger boy's hair reassuringly.

Yugi nodded, looking up at Leo gratefully. Even if the problem still existed, the fact that he had finally been able to share this soul-searing secret with someone, especially someone as kind as Leo made Yugi feel a lot better then he had done in ages.

"Okay, first things first," Leo said. "We get you out of the bathtub."

Yugi gave him a tiny smile. "I'm not really sure why I'm here anyway."

Leo smiled back, a playful glint in his eyes. "Just to clarify Yugi, you don't usually have a bath with all your clothes on do you?"

Stunned, Yugi looked down. "Oh," He murmured, feeling a blush burning through his cheeks as he looked up at Leo again. "I didn't realise…"

Leo's gaze softened on him. "Come on,"

Yugi felt so much better as he smoothed out his clothes, trying to get rid of as much excess water as he could rather then soak the carpet through as he headed back to his bedroom.

His heart was still aching madly in his chest, but he seemed much more able to bear it now. With Leo here to talk to now, Yugi suddenly felt safer and a lot less alone then he had been feeling lately, especially when he was confronted yet again with Yami and Tea's relationship.

He felt his heart thud again as the image of his lovely Dark filled his whole mind again with Yami's incredible gorgeousness. Almost instantly, his mind flitted back to the conversation they had had together when he had awoken to find Yami watching him. He could still remember the exact words he had said when he had described Yami's attractiveness, wondering what on earth possessed him to say that…just as the image of Yami opening the door to Tea's house filled his entire vision.

Everything he had said before ricocheted around Yugi's head. Yami's great body, his beautiful eyes, his similar, striking tri-coloured hair…all Yami's wonderful attributes only being enjoyed by Tea…and will never be by Yugi himself.

Yugi's heart suddenly seared with excruciating pain, so intense he clutched at his very heart in agony.

"Yugi?"

Yugi jerked backwards, startled, completely forgetting Leo was still in the room - and that he was still standing in the bathtub.

His breath caught in his throat as Yugi's foot suddenly slid forwards on the slippery base of the bathtub.

"Yugi!" Leo cried out grabbing his arm.

But it was too late.

With a shocked cry, Yugi pitched backwards, dragging Leo down with him.

Desperately, Leo reached out with his free hand to grab something to stop the two of them falling and getting seriously hurt - but his hand met nothing but the scattered array of bathroom utensils on the shelf -

- including a still plugged in hairdryer.

Yugi felt his body go numb as he finally fell back into the bath, the back of his head striking the edge of the tub severely. Through dazed eyes he watched in slow motion as Leo was suddenly reaching down to him for something…

Yugi stared up at him in child-like fascination. Leo's eyes were so wide and filled with sudden terror, Yugi really didn't understand why. He watched in awe as Leo's free hand plunged into the water around Yugi, desperately trying to grab something that had fallen in…but Yugi couldn't see what.

As the water closed over his head, Yugi gazed up at Leo through the water's distortion - just in time to feel his hand leave Yugi's arm, and Leo violently being thrown away from him…

Just as a thousand volts of electricity charged unforgivingly through Yugi's body.


	13. Anxiety

Chapter 13 - Anxiety

"Yami, you heard what Leo said," Tea said. "And you always listen to Leo even if you don't agree."

"I know," Yami said darting up the stairs. "But I want to talk to Yugi, so I'm choosing not to listen to Eclipse."

Tea frowned as she followed him. Hearing Yami call Leo Eclipse wasn't uncommon, after all Leo was Eclipse's reincarnated form and according to Yami the two spirits were strikingly alike, but something about this time sent a chill through her.

"Hey Tea," Sakura called, suddenly appearing behind her. "Did you want to take that presentation with you when you go home?"  
Tea nodded. "Sure, let's go get it n-"

Suddenly her voice cut off. Mostly because the lighting was going crazy. The three teenagers froze in the middle of the upstairs corridor, staring in shock as the lights suddenly flickered and dimmed randomly.

"What the hell -?" Tea murmured.

Sakura gasped. "What's happening?"

Tea frowned. "It looks like a power surge."

Suddenly, Yami had a very, very bad feeling.

Ignoring the shocked shouts from the girls, Yami raced away, bolting down the corridor towards the bathroom between Yugi and Krysta's bedrooms.

There was something happening to Yugi - he just knew it.

Without a second thought, Yami burst into the bathroom.

He froze in pure, unadulterated horror.

Through the crazily fluctuating lights, Yami spotted Leo lying across the room against the wall, out cold with a trickle of blood emanating from the back of his head.

But even more horrifying then this -

- was the image of Yugi's young athletic form, convulsing wildly in the bathtub, being ruthlessly subjected to savage jolts of raw electricity wreaking through his small body.

"YUGI!" Yami screamed in terror.

Without a second thought, he dashed to his Hikari's side and ripped the plug of the hairdryer out of the wall socket. His heart pounding with anxiety, Yami stared down at Yugi as the lights finally came back on, revealing his Hikari's unconscious form under the rippling water.

Dreading the worst, Yami plunged his arms into the cold water and slipped them around his beautiful Hikari, quickly, but gently lifting him out of the bathtub as the girls finally rushed into the bathroom.

"Oh my god!" Tea exclaimed.

"What happened?" Sakura cried, already turning white as a sheet as she saw Leo and Yugi, now lovingly cradled in Yami's arms on the floor.

Yami looked up at her, his crimson eyes filled with distraught tears.

"What should I do!" He pleaded. "He's not breathing! I can't sense him anymore!"

Quickly pulling herself together, Tea knelt down to Yugi's side and checked his pulse. A split-second later she looked like she too was going to collapse.

"There's no pulse." She whispered.

Yami felt the panic flooding through him as he looked down at his lovely little Yugi. Blood was pouring out of Yugi's lips, burn marks riddling his entire body as Yami ripped open his Hikari's shirt to listen for a heart beat.

Yami felt his own heart freeze over as he heard none, instantly gathering his little Light in his arms distraught. The teenager was so pale, so still, so lifeless…

"No, Yugi," He whispered, tears falling from his eyes. "Please no…"

Suddenly, Sakura looked up. "Leo! Leo can heal him!"

With new hope, Yami looked up as Sakura and Tea dashed to Leo's side, forcefully dragging him to sitting position and shaking him hard.

"Leo! Leo wake up!" Sakura cried hysterically. "You've gotta wake up now!"

The unconscious young man slumped against Tea unresponsively.

"Leo!" Tea cried, shaking him even harder. "Please Leo! Please wake up! Yugi's dying! You've gotta help him please!"

Yami gripped Yugi tighter, wanting more then anything to trade his own life just to keep his little Hikari alive…

"Please Yugi don't leave me," Yami whispered.

"Leo! LEO!" Sakura screamed.

Finally, Leo's eyes flickered open disorientedly.

"Huh?" He murmured, struggling to stay awake.

"Oh thank god." Tea murmured, hugging the young man.

"Leo, Yugi's been electrocuted." Sakura told him quickly. "You've gotta heal him or he'll die!"

Still very out of it, Tea dragged Leo to Yugi and Sakura pulled his hand out and held it over Yugi's chest.

"Summon your powers, Leo." Sakura ordered while Tea desperately tried to keep him awake. "Just summon your powers, and I'll guide them."

Sluggishly, Leo nodded, knowing something terrible had happened even if his mind wasn't registering what it was.

"Kay…"

Yami almost cried out of sheer relief as Leo's azure blue magics shimmered under his palm as Sakura determinedly held it over Yugi's chest. Sakura herself in complete concentration as she invoked her own powers to guide Leo's scattered magics into healing Yugi's injuries.

After a tense few seconds of watching Yugi's entire form shimmer with azure magics of the Fifth Element, Sakura finally took Leo's hand away.

From Tea's arms, Leo stared at the scene through half open eyes, trying as much as he could to understand what was happening.

"That's it," Sakura murmured. "We can't do anymore."

"Yugi come on," Tea whispered.

Yami stared down at his little Light lying in his arms. Yugi didn't even look alive anymore, despite the blood now vanished from his lips along with the burns.

Just seeing Yugi like this ripped Yami's heart to shreds.

"Please Yugi," Yami said softly; lovingly brushing back Yugi's soaked blond locks from his close eyes as his heart burst with grief. "Please wake up…"

After a heart searing moment of nothing - Yugi's body convulsed in Yami's arms.

"Yugi?" Yami said anxiously.

Instantly Yugi's body convulsed again, reflexively turning onto his side, dispelling all the water from the Light's lungs as he launched into a coughing fit.

"Yugi!" Yami, Tea and Sakura exclaimed in sheer relief.

Yugi's eyes flickered open as he lay back in Yami's arms, breathing deeply, now extremely exhausted. He looked up at Yami disorientatedly.

"Y-Yami?" He whispered, confused, his eyes falling into and out of focus.

"Shhh," Yami said holding him close in pure relief. "Don't try to speak, just regain your strength."

Too weak to do anything else, Yugi nodded, his eyes falling closed again.

"He's okay," Sakura said, collapsing against the bathtub. "He's okay. He's okay."

From Tea's embrace, Leo gazed detachedly at the scene. "That's good." He murmured.

And promptly passed out.


	14. Near Loss

Chapter 14 – Near Loss

The teenagers jumped up as the doctor finally came out of Yugi's bedroom.

"Is he alright?" Yami asked before anyone could say a word.

Dr Carter held up a hand, giving Yami a reassuring smile. "He's going to be just fine." He told them. "Considering what could've potentially happened, Yugi is surprisingly lucky. All he has is a slight knock on the head which is making him very tired. With rest he'll be good as new in the morning. You kids just leave him to sleep now."

Yami almost collapsed in relief, unbelievably glad Tea's arms were around his waist.

"Yugi's okay," Yami whispered to himself, just to confirm it for his own peace of mind.

Krysta sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness. What about my brother?"

The doctor looked at her exasperated. "I have to say Miss Rivera, in all my years I have never had such a difficult patient. But despite everything, I think he'll be just fine too. He has mild concussion, nothing more. In a few days he'll be alright. But he must rest and take a few days off work."

"Thank you so much," Tea said. "That's so good to hear."

Sakura sighed. "Leo's gonna be mad though. He hates being sick."

"And doctors apparently." Dr Carter said good-naturedly.

Krysta blushed. "I'm very sorry doctor, I know Leo's difficult when I comes to doctors and hospitals."

"That's quite alright," Dr Carter said with a chuckle. "I needed the exercise when chasing him around the room for ten minutes."

"I'll show you out," Sakura offered.

The three remaining teenagers watched them go, heading back down the stairs. As they did so, all were thinking the same thing;

"This could've been a whole lot worse." Tea said softly.

Yami nodded, his heart tearing at the very thought of how close he came to losing the love of his life.

The three glanced up at the sound of sudden raised voices coming from Leo's bedroom. They blinked, taken aback as the door flew open.

"Will you quit babying me!" Leo's voice hissed exasperatedly, as he staggered out the doorway.

"You're supposed to rest," Yue's soft voice said, oddly harder then usual to try and quell his rebellious boyfriend.

"I'm not sick!"

"Yes you are!"

"I'm not! Let go!"

Dashing out into the hallway, Leo turned and glared at Yue as he stood gracefully in the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest as he glared back at his uncooperative boyfriend.

"You're worse then Tea you know that!" Leo complained.

He froze as soon as the words left his lips.

Only meters away, Tea raised an eyebrow her blue eyes hardening on the young man.

Slowly Leo turned to her. "Tea," He said with an angelic smile. "Is there any chance you didn't -"

"No." She said with a mock-glare.

Leo sighed and walked over to them, rather unsteadily, this time much more grateful as Yue's arms slid around his waist to provide support.

"How is he?" Leo asked anxiously.

"The doctor said Yugi will be fine in the morning." Tea said.

Krysta nodded, finally making herself stop twisting the end of her top in anxiety. "You healed him just in time." She glanced at Tea. "If you hadn't of awakened Leo…"

"He wouldn't be here anymore." Yami finished quietly.

The young people looked at him. Yami was leaning against the wall by Yugi's bedroom door, looking so pale it looked like he was about to collapse.

Tea glanced over him worriedly, gently brushed back his blond locks to see his dulled crimson eyes. "Yami, you're exhausted, you really should get some rest."

Yue looked at him with concern. "That must have been traumatic for you too."

Yami rubbed his head. "I'm alright." He said. "I'll just stay here."

Leo felt his heart thud with guilt. "This is all my fault…" He murmured.

"It was an accident Leo." Yami said softly. "We all saw it."

"And nothing majorly bad happened," Krysta said. "So lets just forget about it now, okay?"

Leo sighed. "If I hadn't startled him, he wouldn't have slipped…then I had to go and knock the hair dryer into the bath…"

"It was an accident," Yue said consolingly, gently drawing his boyfriend closer protectively.

"We're just so glad you were there to heal him, Leo." Tea told him sincerely.

Yami looked up at Leo seriously, quickly catching the young man's hand.

"Leo…"

Leo looked at him.

Yami gazed at him, his crimson eyes shimmering. "Thank you," He whispered.

Silently, Leo nodded.

"Well, Yugi's asleep now," Krysta said. "So I guess we should leave him."

This time Leo didn't object as Yue led him back to his room to rest, the other teenagers watching them go.

As the door closed Krysta looked at Yami. "Are you going to be okay?"

Yami looked at her. "I don't know." He said quietly.

Tea glanced at Krysta. "It's okay, I'll take care of him."

Krysta nodded. "I'm gonna go check on Sakura, she was pretty shaken up."

Tea turned back to her boyfriend as Krysta disappeared downstairs, only to find he had slid down the wall, now sitting on the floor against the wall. He had pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and now rested his head on his arms.

Worriedly, Tea knelt down to Yami's side and looked into deeply upset crimson eyes, staring detachedly as a million thoughts no doubt raced through Yami's mind of what could've potentially happened just then.

"Yami," Tea said softly. "Yugi's fine. You really don't have to worry like this."

Slowly Yami shook his head, his gaze still fixated on nothing. "He almost…the way he looked…I never imagined…"

Tenderly, Tea rubbed Yami's back trying to reassure him. "It's okay Yami,"

Yami finally focussed on her. "No," He whispered. "I almost lost him, Tea. I never imagined I could ever lose him that way. I almost lost my little Hikari - and he didn't even call out to me. He didn't cry out to me when he knew he was in danger -"

"Yami, he didn't know what was going to happen." Tea told him. "You heard Leo, everything just happened so fast, they didn't have a chance to react."

"But -" Yami started.

"Yami," Tea said cutting him off. "You are reading way too much into this. I know you and Yugi have been having issues lately, but Yugi would still come to you first if anything was bothering him, and you know it."

Yami sighed, covering his face with his hands. "I just feel like lately we're not as close as we used to be." He said, his voice strained. "I know something's wrong, but he won't talk to me, Tea. And at your house, he literally ran away from me."

Tea sat back, confused. "That is kinda strange I guess." She mused. "Maybe there is something bothering him…or someone…"

Yami looked at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Tea said reluctantly. "Years ago, Yugi was getting bullied a lot at school and he didn't tell anyone until he finally broke down in front of us weeks later." She swallowed thickly. "It killed us to know he was hurting so much all alone. It was only resolved when Joey and Tristen beat those bullies to pulp and warned them off Yugi."

Yami's blood ran cold thinking about how much pain Yugi must've been going through without him, and boiled at the same time thinking how anyone would dare harm his sweet little Hikari.

"Yes, I remember. It happened again three years ago, that was the first time we met. Yugi solved the Puzzle and I sent the bullies chasing him to the Shadow Realm." Yami stated, already reaching for the door handle. "I need to talk to him, Yugi's my charge, I am bound to take care of him."

Tea caught his hand quickly. "Yugi's sleeping remember? After today, I think he could use the rest. You can talk to him when he wakes up."

Yami nodded reluctantly and curled up again at the base of the wall. "I guess you're right." He looked at Tea gratefully. "I'm glad you're here Tea."

Tea smiled and kissed him lightly. "You worry too much, you know that? And you forget too often you're only seventeen, the weight of the world doesn't have to be on your shoulders alone anymore."

Yami felt himself smile for the first time in hours and kissed her again gratefully. As he did so, the phone rang downstairs.

With a sigh, Tea pulled back and stood up. "That will be my parents. I guess I have to go."

"Thanks Tea," Yami said.

Tea smiled. "No problem. I'll see you guys tomorrow okay?"

Yami smiled and watched her go.

Tea really was a wonderful girl, Yami really hated himself for not loving her the way she loved him. Feeling the guilt wash through him again, he rested his head on his knees, forcing his fatigue away. He did really care about Tea - he just loved Yugi a whole lot more…

He sighed sadly. As much as he didn't want to hurt Tea, he really couldn't keep up this relationship - it wasn't fair on her. He knew he had to break it off with her soon, just to save her from anymore pain he may cause her in the future, especially if he never got over Yugi…

It's not like I'll ever have Yugi anyway, he thought miserably. The best I can do is be here when he needs me.

Depression, settled on him again.

Yami would do anything to be so much more then just a friend to his lovely little Light.


	15. Runaway

Chapter 15 - Runaway

Yugi felt so tired, but he forced his eyes open anyway. He'd had enough of resting, all he wanted to do was talk to Leo and find out if he was okay.

His head pounded unbearably as he sat up. Pressing a hand to his head with a soft moan, Yugi swung his legs of his bed. Even if his memory wasn't working properly right then, he did remember the doctor that came to examine him telling him exactly what happened - although he suspected he had actually been electrocuted as opposed to just _nearly_, as the doctor had put it.

Leo must've saved me, Yugi thought fuzzily. I should thank him…

Unsteadily, Yugi stumbled to the door, already feeling exhausted as he finally made it. As he reached for the door handle, he suddenly halted.

"Huh?" He murmured.

Struggling to stay awake, Yugi leaned closer to the door. He could hear voices emanating from just behind the door…it sounded like - his heart thudded - _Yami_.

Yes, it was. He could hear Yami's deep but soft voice just outside his room…but he sounded different - he sounded so much more worried.

Yugi leaned back against the door, sliding down so he sat at the base.

_Is he worried about me?_

Suddenly, he heard the intervention of another voice - a softer one and much more female…Tea.

In silence, Yugi listened.

"I need to talk to him," Yami stated. "Yugi's my charge, I am bound to take care of him."

"Yugi's sleeping remember? After today, I think he could use the rest. You can talk to him when he wakes up." Tea told him.

"I guess you're right." Yami replied. "I'm glad you're here Tea."

Yugi covered his mouth forcefully as a sob threatened to escape him. He darted away from the door, slamming into the side of his wardrobe as he did so, tears already flooding down his cheeks.

His charge? Yugi thought in despair. Is that all I am now? Doesn't Yami care about me anymore? Has our relationship become this bad that he feels _obligated _to protect me?

Despite his hands still determinedly pressed over his lips, Yugi felt the distraught silent sobs escape him, convulsing unforgivingly through his body. Yet again he was confronted with Yami and Tea's relationship - right outside his door. He knew they were just worried about him, but they were so close - and the reality of how far Yami was from his grasp was all too real.

Yugi couldn't stand it.

He just wanted to die.

Without even thinking about it, Yugi dragged himself up, letting the tears continue, no longer having the strength or will to stop them anymore. He pulled on his trainers and grabbed his jacket and dashed to the window.

Although the day had been warm and sunny, there were huge thunderclouds obscuring the sky now, threatening to pour down at any moment. Shoving open the window, Yugi blindingly climbed out, not even caring that he was thirty feet off the ground in his desperation to run away.

Even if he fell to his death, he still didn't care. His heart ached so much, seared so badly with agonising pain - all he wanted to do was get away.

Choking back sobs, Yugi reached out and grabbed hold of the trellis outside his window, almost falling and giving himself a heart attack out of fright, but still he didn't care.

Jumping the last few feet to the ground, Yugi twisted his ankle painfully, falling on his side in exhaustion. Determinedly, he dragged himself up.

And once again, he began to run.

Yugi ran and ran, blindly turning corners, running as fast as he could, trying to run away from Yami, his grief, his pain - his whole life.

As he did so the storm overhead finally broke, rain pouring down over him as lightning lit up the sky spectacularly, thunder rolling deafeningly all around him.

His body felt so beaten, so battered, his breath coming his short, ragged gasps as he finally stopped. Yugi felt so tired, in so much pain, so freezing cold from the rain already soaking him through and through.

His body couldn't cope with the anguish anymore.

Yugi collapsed against a nearby post-box, breathing heavily. Shivering with cold, he finally looked up at where he was, pushing his dripping blond bangs from his eye. He stared around him, blinking as the rain washed away the tears on his distraught face. He found himself at a crossroads in an unfamiliar part of town. It was the east-side, an area renowned for being in a dire condition of disrepair. And there across the streets was the Domino Train Station.

For a long moment, Yugi stared at it. The station was only half lit up, the lights dimmed even more in the storm roaring overhead, and looking oddly out of place being the only remotely new commodity in the east-side of town - only since it didn't have quite as much graffiti on it.

The train station…Yugi thought vaguely. I can go away from here. Leave this place…my life…my pain…Yami…

Yugi's heart wrenched excruciatingly as his beautiful Dark flooded his vision again - only to be possessively wrapped into Tea's embrace.

Yugi shook his head, clutching his aching heart. He had to do it. It was the only way he could ever find peace.

He would leave Domino, leave Yami to be happy with Tea, and leave all his suffering behind…

Without a second thought, Yugi ran across the roads and dashed into the station. It was empty as he stumbled unsteadily onto the platform, shivering so much he could hardly control his own body. Desperately, he poured every ounce of his strength into just keeping himself up despite the cold and the fatigue and turned his eyes up to the destinations board.

His heart sank.

For the first time, he realised he had nowhere to go. All his friends were in Domino, his only family - even if Grandpa was away for a few days - his whole life was in Domino.

He had nowhere to go. Nowhere to run too.

Misery gripped Yugi mercilessly as he struggled not to collapse.

"Yugi?"

Startled, Yugi whirled around, stumbling backwards unsteadily. He gasped in shock as a hand reached out and grabbed his arm, steadying him before he fell.

Breathing hard, Yugi looked up, and blinked taken aback.

"Ryou?" He half whispered.

Ryou frowned, his angelic face filling with concern. "Yugi what are you doing here?"

Yugi stared at his friend wordlessly, just as shocked to see Ryou here as he was to see Yugi. Ryou was dressed a whole lot more warmly then Yugi was, and holding an umbrella in one hand while the other continued to steady Yugi as he stood.

"God, Yugi," Ryou said, quickly catching the younger teenager as his knees buckled under him. "You're freezing cold and shaking like a anything. What're you doing out here at this time?"

Yugi didn't object as Ryou carefully led him to a bench under the canopy shelter of the train waiting area. Putting his umbrella down, Ryou quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around Yugi's shivering form, making him sit down. Worriedly, he glanced over the younger teenager. Yugi was as pale as a ghost, his eyes red and puffy, not to mention he was inadequately dressed for the storm raging above them and so was freezing cold.

"Yugi," Ryou said gently at the other boy cast his gaze down. "Why did you come here?"

"I-I can't," Yugi said, his body convulsing him another sob. "Can't stay here. I-I can't."

Ryou frowned. "Where were you going to go?"

Yugi finally looked up at him with distraught amethyst eyes. "I-I don't know." He watched Ryou's brown eyes widened in shock as shook his head. "I can't stay here Ryou, I-I have to go. I have to leave -"

"Hold on, Yugi, just slow down," Ryou said gently. "What exactly happened?"

Yugi shook his head, hugging himself. He didn't want to recount everything again - didn't even want to think about it all over again. It was too hard, too distressing - all Yugi wanted was to just die away in a gutter somewhere, just to make the pain stop.

Yugi reached up and pressed a hand to his head. His head was pounding unbearably; he felt so tired, so exhausted, all he wanted to do was collapse into the void of oblivion.

"Yugi?" Ryou said, carefully tilting his friend's face up to see him.

He gasped sharply. Yugi's cheeks were flushed, his eyes dilated and strangely detached, still forming tears that streamed down even paler skin then before.

Worriedly, Ryou touched Yugi's forehead.

"Yugi, you're burning up," Ryou exclaimed. "You're running a fever,"

Yugi looked away, trying to stop shivering and control his suddenly erratic breathing. "I-I'm okay…"

"No, you're not," Ryou contradicted. He rummaged into the back pocket of his jeans. "I'm going to call Yami -"

"NO!"

Startled, Ryou dropped his cell phone onto the bench and looked at Yugi questioningly.

"Please, please don't," Yugi pleaded. "I-I don't want him to find me, anyone to find me. I-I just want to run away…"

Shocked, Ryou stared at Yugi as he leaned forwards, sobbing into his palms.

"Please don't call anyone." Yugi whispered distressed.

Compassionately, Ryou nodded and reassuringly rubbed his friend's back. "Alright Yugi, I won't call him." Gently he drew Yugi's face up to see him. "What happened?"

Yugi's breath caught in his throat. "N-nothing."

Ryou sighed. "Please Yugi, we're friends aren't we? You can tell me anything."

"I-I don't want to think about it," Yugi whispered, another sob escaping him. "I don't want to live anymore…"

Even with Ryou's much needed comfort, Yugi still felt so anguished all he wanted to do was die just to make it all go away. His head was throbbing intolerably, he felt so tired, his body was shivering with cold even though he felt as hot as hell and still Yami was invading his every thought making his heart ache so badly, all he wanted to do was rip it out of his tightening chest.

"Yugi?" Ryou called suddenly. "Yugi!"

Yugi felt his friend shaking him gently, his voice strangely further away then before, but for some reason his body wasn't responding to what his suddenly fuzzy mind was ordering it to do. Yugi gazed up at Ryou curiously…he didn't understand why Ryou's brown eyes were filled with such anxiety…

"Yugi? Are you alright?" Ryou called again, his voice becoming more and more anxious. "Can you hear me?"

"RYOU!"

Ryou glanced up unsurprised to see Bakura running towards him.

"Ryou, I'm sorry," Bakura said, trying to catch his breath. "I didn't mean to say all those things. I just - without the pills -"

"You can't control your temper, I know." Ryou said gently, gazing up at the Dark version of himself. "It's okay, Bakura."

Bakura frowned, suddenly realising the situation. "What the -?" Bakura looked at Yugi as he finally looked up, somewhat listlessly. "What's Yugi doing here?"

Ryou shook his head. "I don't know. I found him here like this."  
Bakura glared at Yugi. "This is the second time today the pharaoh's let his Hikari run around alone. What the hell is wrong with you? Is Yami trying to put you in danger?"

Yugi whimpered as Yami filled his mind again, suddenly feeling weaker then ever as more tears rolled down his cheeks, burying his face in the folds of Ryou's warm jacket, completely breaking down.

"Bakura," Ryou said scathingly. "Something's happened to Yugi to make him like this, and now he's running a high fever. We're gonna take him home."  
Bakura's jaw dropped. "I only came here to take you home!"

Ryou glared back at his boyfriend. "Bakura, Yugi's so out of it, he doesn't even know what's going on - we can't just leave him here, it's dangerous."

"Call the Pharaoh," Bakura seethed. "I've already rescued this kid once today, I'm not gonna be _nice _all the time."

"Please Bakura?" Ryou asked, giving his lover the huge puppy eyes he knew he could never say no to.

Bakura glared at Ryou, but grudgingly gave in under that look. "Dammit Ryou," He grumbled. "Why do I always give in to you?"

Ryou stood up as Bakura reached down and scooped Yugi into his arms, who had already passed out from all the anguish his mind and body had been subjected to.

And the three of them headed back to Ryou and Bakura's apartment.


	16. Chase

Chapter 16 - Chase

"Yami wake up!"

Yami jolted awake abruptly, forcefully ripped away from the dark void he was so close to falling into. He looked up in alarm from where he still sat, curled up by Yugi's bedroom door - just in time to see Leo dash past him and burst into Yugi's room.

"Leo?" Yami said jumping up anxiously. "Leo what's wrong?"

Leo whirled around as Yami dashed into the room after him. "Yami where's Yugi?"

Yami stared at him. "What? He's right -"

"Where is he? Did you see him?" Leo demanded, grasping Yami's shoulders frantically.

Yami shook his head. "Leo, Yugi's still…"

His voice died in his throat as his eyes fell onto his little Hikari's bed. His crimson eyes widened as sudden dread filled him.

Yugi's bed was empty.

"No…" Yami whispered.

"Yami!" Leo said again, ripping back the younger teenager's attention. "Did you see Yugi leave?"

Yami shook his head in stunned dread. "I didn't - he didn't - _leave_…"

Leo stumbled backward unsteadily to the wall, leaning heavily against it, his breath suddenly more erratic as he pressed a hand to his reeling head.

"Oh no…" He whispered.

Finally shaking off his shock, Yami looked up at his friend determinedly. "Leo -" He started and broke off.

His own breath caught as he saw Leo's eyes shimmering vividly with awakened magics in the dimness. Without a second thought, Yami dashed to Leo's side and forced him to look up.

"Leo, where's Yugi?" Yami demanded, his heart pounding furiously against his ribcage. "Tell me!"

Leo shook his head, slipping down the wall to his knees. "I felt him," He whispered breathlessly. "I sensed him breakdown…breakdown completely - he's-he's shattered…"

"Eclipse!" Yami cried as Leo's eyes closed exhausted. "What's wrong with you!"

Leo shook his head, trying to clear the fluff of drowsiness from him. "Yue…made me take…a sedative…"

"No! Leo wake up!" Yami called desperately. "I need your help! Please! We have to find Yugi!"

With all his remaining effort, Leo forced his eyes open and looked up at Yami.

"No, Yami," Leo whispered suddenly calm. "I can't - help you."

Yami stared at him. "Why?"

Leo gazed at him, on the verge of falling unconscious. "Just you Yami - you need to find him."

Yami bit his lip anxiously. "Where?"

With his last remaining effort, Leo's eyes flickered towards the window Yugi had escaped from, before closing and falling unconscious, unable to fight the sedative any longer.

"Leo!" Yami cried, shaking his friend frantically. "LEO!"

Finally realising there was no way Leo could wake up now, let alone help him, Yami stood up, shakily backing away. He could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks along with the agony of his breaking heart, somehow inexplicably knowing his lovely little Yugi had run away all because of him.

His whole body trembled with fear. The fear that he may never see the young teenage boy that had given him everything he had, offered him light in his world of eternal darkness…

The pain was unbearable. It ripped out in unforgiving tidal waves with every furious heartbeat; tormenting his very soul to the core knowing he had driven his only true love away…

Right then, Yami just wanted to die for what he had done.

"What - Yami?" Said a surprised voice.

Yami glanced up as Yue suddenly appeared in the doorway, gazing at him in confusion.

"Yami what's wrong?" Yue asked concerned.

Yami staggered backward, unable to take the onslaught of the tide of raw emotions engulfing him over his wonderful Hikari any longer. Without a word, he whirled around and ran to the window - and climbed out into the pouring rain.

Suddenly realising Leo was lying by the wall, Yue dashed to his side. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, other then the sedative taking effect, Yue glanced up at the window Yami had vanished through, staring at it in stunned shock.

To Yue, that action was odd, even in a magical household such as this.

After another moment, he knew why.

Yugi's bed was empty.


	17. More Pain

Chapter 17 – More Pain

"DAMN STUPID KID!" Yami shouted angrily. "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STAY OUT OF TROUBLE!"

Yugi didn't even have time to react before he felt the sting of the back of his Dark's hand striking across his face. His cheek throbbing, Yugi staggered backwards falling to his knees, staring up at Yami in shock.

"I finally get a life of my own and I have to spend every second of it taking care of you!" Yami yelled, pure fury burning through his crimson eyes.

Yugi stared at him, his heart racing in sudden terror. "No, Yami please," He pleaded shaking his head. "You don't have to take care of me, I just want to be friends!"

Yami glared at his Hikari murderously. "I've had enough of constantly saving you Yugi. From now on, you're on your own." His eyes narrowed lethally on his younger Light. "_I never want to see you again_."

Yugi felt his heart freeze over in his chest as Yami turned and began to walk away.

"Yami!" Yugi cried desperately. "Yami please don't leave! I need you! I care about you so much! Please! YAMI!"

But Yami didn't even turn back once, but kept on walking - into the shadows, and forever out of Yugi's life.


	18. Nightmares

Chapter 18 - Nightmares

Yugi jolted awake in absolute terror. His throat sore from panting and the fever gripping him.

"Yugi! Yugi! It's me! It's Ryou! It's okay, shhhh,"

Breathlessly, Yugi looked up through burning amethyst eyes, stinging from hours of weeping in despair. He collapsed into Ryou's arms, finally recognising his friend.

"It's okay, Yugi, don't worry anymore." Ryou said soothingly, gently holding the younger teenager comfortingly.

After a moment, Yugi calmed down enough to look up at his friend. "R-Ryou?"

Ryou smiled at him reassuringly. "Hi Yugi. Are you feeling better now?"

Yugi took a deep breath, his eyes half closing as he fought back a wave of dizziness. "Feel hot…strange…"

"Hmmm," Ryou said touching his forehead. "You're still feverish. You really shouldn't go running around in the cold rain without a jumper at least."

Yugi stared around himself in confusion, pushing back the delirium, finding himself in a small, modern lounge, sitting up on a sofa bed. "Where am I?"

"Bakura brought you back to our apartment after I found you at the train station."

"Oh." Yugi bit his lip, staring at his hands. "That's the second time he's helped me today."

Ryou offered him a sweet smile. "Actually I made him." His smile faltered slightly as he looked over his younger friend. "Yugi, what were you doing at the train station at this time of night? Yami and the others must be so worried about you."

Yugi looked up at him sharply, quickly grasping his friend's hands. "You didn't call them did you? Please tell me you didn't! Please, please Ryou!"

"Yugi calm down," Ryou said consolingly. "I did as you asked and I didn't tell Yami or anyone, neither has Bakura."

Yugi felt his racing heart begin to slow again, suddenly feeling a lot hotter then before. Tiredly, he wiped the back of his sleeve across his forehead, pushing away his blond bangs from his face as fresh tears slipped silently down his cheeks. He really couldn't take seeing his Dark right then, or ever again…he knew the moment he did his entire world would fall apart around him.

For along moment, Ryou watched his younger friend worriedly. Yugi had silently began to weep again as he battled against the raging fever gripping him. Yugi really wasn't acting like himself. The teenager was always so happy and bright - even at stupidly early times on school day mornings.

This wasn't the Yugi he knew and cared so much for.

"Yugi…" Ryou said hesitantly. "Why were you at the train station?"

Yugi didn't look up when he answered, keeping his gaze fixated on the blanket around him. "I-I don't know…I was just running - and I ended up there…" He said quietly. "I just want to run away, leave everything behind…just leave forever…"

Ryou felt his heart wrench painfully. "Where were you going to go?"

Yugi held back a sob. "Anywhere but here…I-I can't take it anymore…"

Ryou closed his eyes sadly. "I'm glad I caught you then. I would've missed you. We all would've."

Something suddenly struck Yugi as he felt his heart soften at his friend's words.

He looked up at Ryou curiously. "What were you doing there Ryou?"

Ryou smiled softly, his big brown eyes softening further. "I knew Bakura would find me there. That's why I always end up there when we argue." He blushed adorably. "We had a fight and it was my turn to take off."

Yugi stared at him for a long moment - and felt a small smile cross his lips in what seemed like hours.

"Where is he now?"

Ryou sighed. "Bakura's gone out somewhere, probably back to murder-ville, who knows?" He looked at his younger friend compassionately. "You were crying out in your sleep Yugi. You were begging Yami not to leave you over and over."

Yugi looked away, trying to hide the grief written all over his face. "Please Ryou, I don't want to talk about it."

Ryou nodded, trusting his friend completely. "If that's what you want Yugi." He smiled kindly at him. "You just need to rest now. You're so sick you can hardly stand up. We can deal with all this in the morning, okay?"

Yugi smiled softly, grasping his friend's hand gratefully. "Thanks Ryou, you're the greatest."

Ryou blushed as he stood up from the sofa bed. "Don't worry about it, Yugi. You just get better."

Yugi nodded as Ryou turned to leave, giving the younger teenager a glass of water and a last smile before he exited the room.

Yugi sighed, lying back on the sofa bed. His head was reeling with dizziness, making him feel hotter and hotter. His skin burning, Yugi promptly pulled off the thick fluffy jumper Ryou had changed him into while he was passed out, leaving him in only a fitted black tank top and a pair of tight navy jeans.

Collapsing back against the bed, Yugi felt the exhaustion flood through his body relentlessly, instantly losing all sense of movement as he lay there, aching, hot, tired and delirious - he seriously didn't feel too good.

But he still couldn't sleep. Couldn't let his despair go for a few hours and take solace in the oblivion of slumber…mostly because his Dark side, once again filled his mind.

The horrifying dream flashed back to him in one go, vividly encompassing his whole mind and forcefully taking over his entire vision.

Yugi could still hear Yami's voice, the harsh tone echoing mercilessly around his head as he shouted at his Light…every word embraced in anger ripping Yugi's heart to shreds with fear, hurt and devastation that he could ever make his wonderful Dark so angry.

Is that how Yami really felt? Yugi thought. It was just a dream wasn't it? Or was it actually telling me what I refuse to comprehend?

Yugi felt his misery deepen as he stared up at the ceiling impassively. Yami didn't need him anymore, he knew that, but did Yami really want Yugi out of his life forever? Was it true? Was it?

Yugi squeezed his eyes shut as another wave of heated dizziness washed through him as the image of his beautiful dark flooded his mind relentlessly again.

If Yami doesn't need me anymore, or even wants me around, I guess the best thing I can do for him is leave, he thought sadly.

The grief filled Yugi again, silent sobs convulsing through his body as he stared into nothingness.

He had no idea how long he lay there, unable to sleep, and unable to get the beautiful Yami out of his head, making him feel even worse, but presently, he heard Ryou's soft voice coming from the bedroom.

Exhaustedly, Yugi slowly turned his head towards Ryou's voice, a slight frown crossing his face.

Who's Ryou talking to? Yugi thought vaguely. Bakura's not here…

Yugi's heart suddenly stopped.

"No…" He whispered. "He wouldn't…"

Without a second thought Yugi dragged himself up, ignoring the insane protesting his body was putting him through, and half-climbed, half-fell off the sofa bed, staggering closer to Ryou's voice.

Slumping against a nearby coffee table in the middle of the small lounge, Yugi forced the dizziness and fuzziness clouding his mind away and focused on his hearing, dreading that Ryou was actually doing what Yugi thought he was doing.

"Are you sure?…I don't know," Ryou's voice said worriedly, floating through the slightly ajar doorway. "He didn't want me to call anyone…yes he's okay, he's asleep now, he's still feverish but he should be okay in the morning…did something happen between Yami and Yugi, Krysta?"

Yugi gasped in shock, his amethyst eyes wide.

In the bedroom, Yugi heard Ryou drop the phone, and looked up in pure betrayal as Ryou pulled the door open wide.

"Yugi -" Ryou said gazing at the younger teenager, startled.

Yugi shook his head, slowly backing away. "Ryou…" He whispered. "How could you?"

"Yugi, please, it's not what you think -" Ryou started anxiously.

But Yugi didn't want to hear it. Through all the grief he already was dealing with as well as his raging fever - he just couldn't take betrayal along with him too.

"Yugi wait!" Ryou called.

But Yugi was already running out the door, grabbing his still soaking wet jacket as he did so. He ignored Ryou's cries as he raced down the stairwell and back out into the pouring rain.

He couldn't stay there - couldn't stay anywhere.

He had no friends, no family, no Yami.

His entire world was destroyed.

This was it for Yugi - he may as well be dead.

Once again, Yugi began to run, running blindly on and on - only this time, he had a place to go.


	19. Misconceptions

Note – hi! It's me again with a brand new chapter for you! Okay, first things first, I just wanna say THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I'm so happy! You like my fics! You really, really do! I'm sorry I haven't acknowledged them much, but something's gone a bit weird and I'm not getting emailed my reviews anymore, so I only just saw how many of you lovely people like my writing! So thank you!

By the by, I don't actually have any friends who like writing fanfiction so if any of you want to talk email me plz! Yu-gi-oh is my favorite fiction to write about and I'd love to hear from anyone who loves it as much as me. And I could really use the insight if you have any critisms of my writing (or any praise would be nice!)

As heartbreaking as it sounds my friends don't even know I can write let alone I actually publish my stuff for everyone to read!

Now, on with the story…

Chapter 19 – Misconceptions

"YUGI!" Yami cried into the night desperately. "YUGI WHERE ARE YOU!"

The former pharaoh blinked the rain out of his eyes, roughly pushing his dripping blond locks away from his face to study the dark streets around him. The streets were as dark and desolate as his breaking heart.

It had been almost thirty minutes and Yami's legs were killing him from racing through street after street, desperately searching for his little Light. He was freezing cold and soaked through, but he didn't care, all he wanted was to get his Hikari back. Yugi was his whole world, and he was going to find him - even if it killed him.

"Yugi!" Yami called again, finally stopping for a breather against a nearby lamppost.

His whole body ached as he slumped against the lamppost, his eyes falling closed as he racked in deep lungfuls of air, trying to summon the strength to keep standing from his energy reserves that were rapidly running dry.

Suddenly, Yami froze.

His heart was pounding as he slowly looked up. He stared at the lamppost he was leaning against. It was just like any other lamppost on the street, or any other street for that matter…but something was strange about this particular one…

Slowly, Yami lifted his palm off the slick, cool metal of the lamppost and stood back, staring up at it.

He could feel it, sense it, and it was emanating from this lamppost, despite fading fast.

_Yugi_…

Yami gasped sharply. Yugi had been here recently. The remnants of his fading aura were still lingering on this lamppost.

He frowned.

But Yugi would've had to be having very strong feelings at the time he touched this lamppost to have left such a vivid imprint, Yami thought. But it's faded a lot…so he must've been here hours ago.

A thought suddenly struck him.

Curiously, Yami looked around himself.

"This is murder-ville." Yami whispered, his crimson eyes widening. "Why would Yugi have come here? People only ever come here to get themselves…"

…_killed_.

Yami's heart stopped.

That's why his aura is imprinted here, he thought. Something must've happened to him…but if it was hours before then maybe…

The memory of Yugi running away from him at Tea's house flashed through his mind.

"He ran here." Yami said, thinking about the direction Yugi had taken off in. "He wasn't well so he just ran on not knowing where he was going..." He closed his eyes briefly, feeling a little more relieved. "But he was home when we came back from the picnic, so nothing bad happened to him here. He's must've just been frightened, not harmed."

Yami's blood instantly began to boil with fury at the thought of anyone scaring his little Light, wanting more then anything to destroy whoever had frightened his beautiful Yugi.

But he really couldn't be doing that now, he still had to find Yugi, before something terrible really did happen to him in the dangerous south-side of town.

Taking a deep breath, Yami closed his eyes, calming his mind enough to summon his magics. Placing his hands on his Millennium Puzzle, Yami concentrated.

Please, please help me find Yugi, he pleaded silently to his own magics. Give me a sign, a signal, anything…please help me find him…

On the leather cord, the Sennen Eye of the Millennium Puzzle glowed golden with awakened magics - and promptly created a sparkling beam of pure magical light straight out of the Puzzle's Eye.

Yami stared in awe as the beam dissipated after a moment, but not before leaving a glittering trail of golden magic behind.

Without a second thought he raced along the trail, hoping against hope it lead him to were his true love was.

Ten minutes later, Yami almost cried as the golden trail vanished before his eyes. Distraught that his magics could no longer help him, Yami collapsed exhausted against the nearest wall and gazed round himself. Surprisingly, he found himself at the Domino Train Station.

Yami frowned.

Why would his magic lead him here?

His heart stopped in sudden realisation.

Yugi was running away from him…what if he took a train to god knows where? Yugi could be anywhere in Japan!

"No," Yami whispered, destroyed inside. "He's gone…he's really gone…"

That was it. Yugi was gone. Yami had nothing left to live for.

Tears flooding down his cheeks, Yami looked up in sudden determination. His little Hikari was sick, anything could happen to him, he had to protect Yugi no matter what - so Yami just had to find him first and make sure he was safe…he could always confess himself later…

"No," He said. "I'll find him. I'll search forever if I have to. I'll die before I give up."

Forcing his aching, tired body to work, Yami pried himself off the wall and staggered into the welcome shelter of the train station. Sweeping his soaking blond bangs out of his eyes he looked up at the destinations board.

His heart sank. There were over twenty destinations listed. And Yami barely recognised half of them. Determined not to give up, Yami glanced around himself. Spotting the tickets desk, he raced over and peered in through glass window.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" He called, urgently tapping on the window. "Please! Anyone answer me!"

There was a low grumble from somewhere behind the glass.

"Yeah, yeah, cool your jets," An unseen voice grumbled.

Yami almost collapsed in relief as a middle-aged woman appeared out of the small office opposite and looked at him agitatedly.

"Where d'you wanna go?" The woman asked boredly.

"I don't know," Yami said in a rush. "I'm trying to find someone who came here recently. He looks like me, but younger. He was really sick, have you seen him?"

The woman blinked, taken aback. "Whoa, slow down sweetie." She smiled reassuringly at him. "Now, what are you trying to say?"

Yami took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart and rising anxiety. "Have you seen a teenager that looks like me come in here and buy a ticket tonight?"

The woman frowned. "Sorry, son, but there haven't been any customers tonight with that storm out. Let alone one looking as strikingly as you."

"Are you sure?" Yami asked desperately.

"I'm sorry."

The woman frowned sympathetically as Yami pressed his head to his head, almost breaking down completely in front of her.

"Is he a friend of yours?" She asked gently.

Yami looked at her with tear-filled eyes. "No. He's my soul mate."

He squeezed his eyes shut, the pain of his shredding heart becoming intolerable. "And I never told him now much I love him."

The woman bit her lip, thinking. After a moment she stood up.

"Wait a second, kid." She said turning to the back office again. "Jack? Jack! Can you come out here for a minute?"

Yami watched as another middle-aged man walked out of the office, looking like he had just been awakened from a nap.

"What is it Linda?" He grumbled. "Can't I have a few minutes of peace at all?"

"Jack, take a look at this kid, have you seen someone come in here tonight that looks like him?"

Yami gazed at Jack as he cast his watery blue eyes over him drowsily.

"Hang on a sec," Jack said, squinting at Yami. "I think so - well the kid I saw was younger."

"That's him!" Yami exclaimed excitedly. "Where did he go? Wherever it is I want a ticket too!"

"Calm down, kid," Jack said walking to the booth window. "He didn't buy a ticket."

"W-what?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, he didn't buy a ticket. I only saw him for a moment." He gestured behind Yami. "He was sitting over there with another two kids about your age, then they all left together."

"A-another t-two teenagers?" Yami said, trying to steady his voice through the shivering.

Jack nodded. "That's right. They looked kinda like twins from here. And your little friend didn't look too well at all. One of the teenagers had to carry him out."

"What did they look like?" Yami pressed frantically.

_Who could've taken my lovely Yugi!_

Jack closed his eyes, picturing the teenagers. "I can't remember much, all I do remember is they both had shoulder-length white hair."

Yami's heart thudded in sheer relief. "Ryou and Bakura." He whispered.

"Do you know who they are?" Linda asked watching him.

Yami looked at them with the biggest, brightest grateful smile. "Yes. I know who they are. Thank you so much!"

"Hey wait!" Linda called as Yami instantly darted away.

Yami whirled around.

Linda smiled. "Good luck!"

Yami smiled back. "Thanks again!"

Without waiting any longer, Yami dashed out of the station, new hope reigning in his heart -

and ran straight into someone.

"Whoa!" Yami cried out, quickly slipping an arm around the other's waist, catching them before they fell into the huge puddles.

"Yami?"

Startled, Yami glanced up sharply, and gasped.

Tea gazed at him from his arms - now becoming as soaked through as Yami himself having lost her umbrella to the wind.

"T-Tea?" Yami said in surprise, shivering again as he released her and was once again subjected to the cold rain pouring down on him.

Tea stared at him just as surprised. "Yami what are you doing here?"

"What're you doing here?" Yami countered.

"I'm just picking up a bag my dad left here when he came to pick me up from your house." She explained. "Your turn."

Yami pushed back his soaking bangs again, wrapping his arms around himself trying to keep at least a little warmth within his own body before the weather harshly ripped it away.

"I-I w-was l-looking -" Yami tried, struggling to control his quivering voice.

"Yami, you're freezing!" Tea exclaimed, grasping his arm and pulling him into the shelter of the station again. "You're not even wearing a sweater!"

"L-leather really doesn't k-keep you warm." Yami whispered, shivering even harder.

"Why are you out in this storm anyway?" Tea asked.

"Tea, I'm sorry but I don't have time for this," Yami said forcing himself to straighten up. "Yugi's missing, and I have to find him!"

"What! He's missing? But he's sick!" Tea shrieked.

"I know," Yami replied, feeling the guilt rising up inside him again. "He ran away, away from me, because…" He looked up at Tea, his crimson eyes full of sadness, sincerity and regret. "Tea…"

Something in Tea's blue eyes changed.

She looked away. "You don't love me, I know."

Yami blinked, taken aback. "Y-you knew?"

Tea nodded, sighing. "Yami…" She finally looked up at him, this time her eyes full of shame. "Yes, I knew you never loved me. I'm sorry I kept you for so long. I wanted to try and make you love me - but it never worked."

"Tea…" Yami murmured.

The teenage girl offered him a sweet smile. "I know you're in love with Yugi even if he doesn't feel the same way and it's okay." She closed her eyes briefly. "I just hope you can forgive me for trying to make you change your mind."

"I'm so sorry Tea," Yami said, brushing back her socked locks from her face. "I wanted to make you happy…but I couldn't. I tried so hard, but I can't deny it anymore - I love Yugi more then anything. He gave me everything I have now, even you. And -"

"- he's really cute?" Tea finished.

Yami blushed.

Tea smiled. "It's okay Yami. Go find your love. Yugi still cares about you even if he doesn't love you the same way."

Feeling better then ever, Yami nodded, and with one last hug, he took off into the night. Tea was right, even if Yugi didn't feel the same way, Yami was happy just to have his little Light in his life, without him Yami knew he would just wither away and die into nothingness as he had done all that time spent trapped in the Puzzle. Yugi was his entire reason for being, Yami couldn't let him leave, he loved him too much to let him go. No matter how mad at him Yugi was, Yami wasn't going to give up.

And even if it killed him, Yami was going to get him back.

Racing through the storm once more he ran straight for Ryou and Bakura's apartment.

Another ten minutes later, Yami heard Ryou's feathery voice before he even saw him.

"No he's taken off again!" Ryou exclaimed into the mobile phone as he dashed out his apartment door again. "He overheard me Krysta! I promised not to tell anyone he was - Yami?"

Breathlessly, Yami leaned against the banister at the top of the stairs of the third floor, his gaze falling onto the teenager.

"Yugi," He managed.

Instantly, anxiety filled Ryou's eyes. "He's not here."

Yami stared at him. "No…"

Ryou looked at him hopefully. "Yugi just took off just now, didn't you see him?"

Yami shook his head. "He didn't pass me. Why didn't you tell me he was here, Ryou?"

"I wanted too, Yami," Ryou said sincerely. "But Yugi begged me not to."

Yami felt his heart tear apart inside him. "Y-Yugi didn't want me to know where he was?"

Ryou shook his head sadly.

"I don't understand…" Yami whispered, shaking his head, distraught. "Why is he so mad at me? Why doesn't he want to be around me anymore? What I have I done to make him hate me so much?"

Ryou blinked, taken aback. "What?"

Yami turned tear-filled eyes onto his friend. "Why doesn't Yugi want me anymore? What have I done?"

"No, Yami," Ryou said shaking his head vigorously, sudden realisation flooding through him. "That's not -"

But Yami didn't wait for the rest, he had to know why Yugi hated him. He needed the chance to make it up to him. He couldn't lose the one he loved so much - he just couldn't. He couldn't live anymore if Yugi wasn't in his life.

Yami whirled around and raced back down the stairs without another word.

"Yami! WAIT! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Ryou shouted after him.

But Yami was already gone.


	20. Yelling

Note – Hey hey! Just me again, I just wanted to say sorry to everyone who wanted me to kill off Tea. I know, I know, Tea is really annoying and bugs the hell out of everyone, but I've never killed anyone off before unless I hated them to the core! I honestly wouldn't know how to do it in this fic. But I did make her look real bad by making her purposely keep Yami away from Yugi! (but then again she doesn't know Yugi loves Yami too…)

Okay, what else did I want to say…? Oh yes, I'm very aware that there is confusion flying around everywhere in this fic, everyone seems to know what's going on except Yami and Yugi, but I promise this is all for a good reason! And having them constantly running away from each other is my way of building up the story around them, so please don't be mad at me (sob), I only do it to make a good story for you to like! And I only torture them to make the angsty bits more angst-ridden and more readable (sob) don't hate me – I do love them so so much!

Besides, this is actually based on something I did myself. I actually just started running for no reason after a particularly upsetting fight with my boyfriend of the time. I was so upset and my emotions were all over the place, it didn't matter where I was going, I just ran, until – well I'm not going to go on, it might mess up the fic!

Oh, and I would like to publicly apologise for my misspelling of 'aibou' with 'abiou', I swear I tried my best to change it back, but my damn spellchecker keeps switching it (I got a Japanese dictionary ref which is apparently wrong), so every time I try to change it, it switches back, so I'm real sorry.

Okay, that's all from me – ON WITH THE STORY!

Chapter 20 - Yelling

"GODDAMN STUPID BLOODY PHARAOH!" Bakura yelled to no one in particular. "WHAT THE HELL IS HIS GODDAMN PROBLEM?! HIM AND THAT LITTLE HIKARI OF HIS IS MAKING MY BLOOD BOIL! AND WHY THE HELL DID THEY HAVE TO DRAG ME INTO THEIR BLOODY MESSED UP LIVES?!"

"Bakura!" Ryou exclaimed. "Give it a rest! This is serious! Both Yami and Yugi think the other hates them!"

Bakura glared at his boyfriend. "Well Yugi would still be here if you hadn't spilled to Krysta, Ryou. And I wouldn't have to go help that bloody pharaoh and his Hikari again!"

Ryou sighed guiltily. "Yugi wasn't supposed to hear me…"

Bakura frowned. "Why did you call Krysta anyway? That kid begged you not to call anyone. And you always keep your promises, even if it kills you."

"I didn't call her," Ryou said softly. "She called me. She knew Yugi was here, Shai Mai, the Air Elemental, was out in the sky drawing energy from the storm and she saw us bringing Yugi back to our apartment. Krysta just wanted to make sure he was safe." He cast worried brown eyes onto Bakura's green ones. "There was an accident a few hours ago and Yugi was electrocuted."

"Electrocuted?!"

Ryou nodded. "Leo healed him, but his body's so weak, and now he's out in the rain with a high fever and now desperately upset over Yami for some reason - Bakura he could do something really, really reckless."

Bakura took a deep breath, forcing the rising anger away again. Without another word he picked up two dark crash helmets and handed one to Ryou.

"You're really gonna help?" Ryou asked, surprised.

Bakura's darkened green eyes narrowed on him. "Well I'm not gonna be getting any tonight unless those two idiots are found and you finally stop stressing am I?" A devious smile tugged at his lips. "Plus I guess I won't have the pharaoh to bug anymore if his Hikari does something stupid and ends up making Yami commit suicide."

Ryou blinked, startled. "What makes you say that?"

"Because he would."

Ryou stared at his Dark, stunned, as Bakura picked up the cordless and handed it to him.

"Call Krysta and the others," Bakura told him. "They can use their magic to search for them."


	21. Dark Waters

Note – I cried through this!

Chapter 21 – Dark Waters

The dark waters looked exactly how Yugi remembered it all that time ago. He couldn't believe he hadn't been back in so long…then again, he had good reason never to come back here.

He stared out at his surroundings.

Everything was bathed in darkness under the stormy sky - but strangely the lake below was as calm as ever, accented only by the heavy rain falling in sheets of tiny marbles constantly being dropped into the waters' surface.

The wind blew harshly against him, making his wet clothes practically freeze on him as he fought to keep his balance, even more so then he had been doing before as a result of his fever.

It was surprisingly windy up on top of the arch.

There he was again, staring down at the waters below him as the arch stretched out over the lake, offering him the alluring darkness of absolutely nothingness to just fade away into…

Fresh tears fell from Yugi's eyes as he gazed, joining the millions of other drops into the lake, and join the other tears he had shed in this same place only seven years ago…

No one ever came to such a bad place. It was a place of legend, bad legends, a place all lovers feared to tread, a place all parents forbade their children to go.

But Yugi had done the opposite - he did go as a child, and now he was there again as a teenager.

He was one of the few who had ever done that.

Because this is one place people only ever came to die.

Only ever came to take their own life.

Not many denied the darkness once and returned to die another day.

The people who came here were broken and bleeding from the inside out. Their spirits torn to ribbons beyond repair, verging on insanity in the midst of their own grief…people who had absolutely nothing left to live for…

Just like Yugi.

He continued to stare. Silent and empty.

There was nothing left for him now. His entire world was destroyed, all his friends lost, his life meaningless without someone he loved to share it with…after all that was the only reason anyone chose to live, and Yugi didn't have that either.

He was so tired of running, so cold from the emptiness in his heart, he wanted it all to end. The pain, the suffering was too much to handle. He wasn't strong enough, for months he tried to convince himself he was - but truth was, he wasn't. When it came down to it, he was still a fifteen year old kid hopelessly in love with someone he can never have.

It was the first time he had ever known love and it had chosen to rip his heart to shreds while it was still beating.

I was denied, Yugi thought sadly to the universe in general. But please give him happiness, he deserves it. He's so wonderful he doesn't even realise it himself. He's stronger then I am, and more deserving then I will ever be…

Yugi wasn't strong. He had been before, but his strength had come from Yami. And now Yami was lost.

And now Yugi was alone, broken and empty.

So many say how death is the ultimate in suffering, but they had no idea what is to live in loneliness.

Life just wasn't worth living if you live it alone.

More tears streamed down his cheeks as Yugi clasped his hands to his breaking heart, raising his gaze to the stormy clouds above, wishing he could see the stars shining down just one last time.

Forgive me for everything, he thought sadly. For any pain I caused, or will cause, please forgive me.

He closed his eyes, letting his last tears fall.

_Please be happy Yami. It's all anyone could ever wish for._


	22. Angels

Chapter 22 - Angels

Some like to say that out there, somewhere, there's an angel watching over all lovers.

Watching, caring, guiding…

There just to offer a helping hand to gently nudge two destined lost souls back together and complete the celestial balance of love and fate.

And if this were true, anyone gazing upon this angel would've seen the compassionate smile crossing his lips.


	23. Happiness

Chapter 23 - Happiness

Somehow, Yami knew where he was going. The 'how' eluded him, as did the 'why' and 'where'. But that didn't matter right now, because Yami knew he was running straight towards Yugi. He didn't question how he knew that or why he trusted the new, weird sense, mostly because if he hadn't trusted it or followed it, he'd be well and truly stuck as to what to do next.

Something in the atmosphere changed.

And Yami stopped short.

Suddenly feeling a whole lot colder, Yami gazed around at his surroundings. He found himself in an unfamiliar part of town - well it wasn't even technically town, since he had past the last of the street lights about two hundred metres back, and was now surrounded by storm-lit darkness.

Yami found himself in a wooded area of what looked like a former park just on the outskirts of town, although thoroughly neglected over time. It was hugely overgrown, almost obscuring the white-paved path he had unconsciously been following leading to…

Yami stared in wonder, following the trial with his eyes.

The path led straight to a huge lake, rippling before him under the impact of thousands of raindrops falling into its darkened waters. The storm overcast the lake in inky blackness, and even further by the overhanging trees, reaching out over the lake as if straining to reach the false solitude the shadowy waters offered…

The scene looked like it was straight out of a tragic movie.

It was so sombre; Yami's heart thudded in grief just knowing Yugi had come to such a depressing place.

'…_please give him happiness, he deserves it. He's so wonderful he doesn't even realise it himself. He's stronger then I am, and more deserving then I will ever be…'_

Yami blinked, the voice suddenly filling his whole mind with such kind words, but uttered with such a painful voice it burned his very heart.

He gasped sharply, hearing the words over and over.

"That voice…" He whispered. "That's Yugi's voice!"

Frantically Yami whirled around, desperately searching the dimness for his lovely little Hikari. But the more he looked, the more he saw, and he still couldn't see Yugi anywhere.

Yami stopped sharply. The strangest feeling entered his heart. As if it was a playful little tug on his heart strings, ever so gently urging him…to look up.

Slowly Yami turned his eyes to the stormy sky.

And almost had a heart attack.

Directly before him was a huge Japanese arch soaring over the front part of the lake, facing outwards towards the distance with the old path running straight through the pillars and underneath the arch itself, straight into the watery depths of the lake. The arch was so big, he hadn't even realised it was there - and now its white stone filled his entire vision.

But this wasn't what had almost caused the heart attack. It was the fact that there was a small, fragile form standing on top cross-beam, in the dead centre of the arch.

Yami stopped breathing.

"Yugi…" He whispered.

His little Hikari was standing on top of the arch, facing out into the distance with his back to Yami. He looked so forlorn up there, clasping his hands to chest as if he was physically trying to make his heart stop - or trying to rip it out altogether.

Yami's heart literally tore in half.

Yugi was up there all alone, looking like he was completely lost to the universe - and Yami just knew it was all his fault.

"Why Yugi…" Yami whispered, shaking his head in misunderstanding. "Why are you doing this?"

Fearful his Light might be startled and fall, Yami chose not to call him, instead his gaze fell onto the arch, trying to work out how his Hikari had managed to get up there in the first place.

Yami's eyes widened.

Up one pillar of the huge arch was a thick creeper plant snaking its way around the white stone all the way to the top cross-beam.

Without a second thought, Yami raced over to the edge and started to climb up, summoning every ounce of strength he could gather from his extremely worn out body.

_Don't move. Don't move. Don't move. Please don't move Yugi._

After what seemed like forever, Yami finally dragged himself up over the last vine, almost giving himself another heart attack as his hand slipped off the first time, almost making him plunge back down the thirty feet to the hard, unforgiving ground directly below.

Now firmly holding onto the stone of the cross-beam, Yami pulled himself up, desperately trying to stay steady as the wind curled harshly around him, trying to freeze him and then cruelly push him off at the arch all together.

Finally able to balance unsteadily on the arch, Yami looked up, dreading that he may not find Yugi standing there anymore.

To his utter relief, his little Hikari was still there, standing exactly the same way had been the first time Yami saw him from below.

Carefully, Yami took a few cautious steps out on the narrow cross-beam, all too aware that the lake was rapidly becoming directly below him with every step, its menacing waters swelling up beneath him, tempting him to fall into its embrace.

Now only ten feet away from Yugi, Yami stopped. Yugi still hadn't noticed his presence, and Yami was scared to death of calling him in case he startled the younger teenager and made him fall into the foreboding lake below.

'…_please give him happiness, he deserves it. He's so wonderful he doesn't even realise it himself. He's stronger then I am, and more deserving then I will ever be…'_

Yami felt tears well up in his eyes as he heard those words flit sadly through his mind again.

_Please be happy Yami. It's all anyone could ever wish for._

And Yami broke completely.

"How can I?"


	24. Switch

Chapter 24 - Switch

"How can I?"

Yugi opened his eyes, for some reason unsurprised to hear Yami's voice.

Slowly, he turned his gaze onto his Dark's.

Yami visibly recoiled as their gazes locked. The Yugi he was staring at was not the one he had come to love so much in his long life. This one was different - so far from the bouncy, sweet young teenager he had come so far as to trusting with so much more then his life.

There wasn't a trace of the Yugi he knew behind this teenager's eyes - there wasn't a trace of anything. It was pure emptiness staring back at Yami through the reddened, bloodshot amethyst eyes that Yami used to adore so much whenever they cast upon him. But right now, he wished more then anything those beautiful eyes weren't staring at him so vacantly.

Those eyes…they used to fill him with joy…with happiness just seeing the kindness and warmth shining in those amethyst pools.

But now there was nothing - less then nothing. Those beautiful eyes that he adored so were devoid of even the last shred of emotion.

"Yugi…" Yami murmured, staring in pure remorse over what had become of the one he loved so much in one mere day.

But Yugi just stared back silently with those empty, unresponsive eyes, boring mercilessly into Yami's.

"Yugi…" Yami tried again, his voice no more then a grief-stricken whisper, barely audible. "Why did you come here?"

Yugi didn't answer; instead he turned his eyes back to the lake, gazing at the oddly serene waters in the distance, watching as the rain claimed all in sight.

"Yugi please," Yami pleaded taking another step towards his Hikari in despair. "Please, please come home."

"I have no home."

Yami froze, stunned.

It was a simple statement, uttered in one sad, pained voice. But also spoken…in pure truth.

"That's not true!" Yami exclaimed desperately. "Your home is with us! You belong with us! Please come back with me Yugi!"

Yugi closed his eyes. "I don't belong with you."

Yami silenced as Yugi looked at him again, casting those expressionless amethyst eyes onto his again. Yami felt his heart slowly, excruciatingly begin to break apart, shattering into the oblivion of endless pain beyond heartbreak.

And despair took over.

"Please, Yugi," Yami pleaded, distraught tears filling his eyes. "Please don't do this. I'm sorry for everything that's happened, I'm sorry for ruining your life. But please, please don't do this." He closed his eyes, letting the tears stream down his cheeks. "Please don't go. I miss you. I need you. I need you so much."

"No," Yugi said softly. "You don't."

Yami's heart stopped in dread as Yugi stepped up to the edge of the arch, gazing forlornly into the waters below him.

"Please be happy Yami." Yugi said sadly. "It's all anyone could ever wish for."

Yami closed his eyes, the sadness consuming him. "How can I?"

Something sparked through Yugi. Startled, he looked back at Yami, a flicker of confusion at Yami's words flashing through his mind.

Sensing his gaze, Yami opened his eyes and gazed back. "How can I?" He whispered, his crimson eyes filled with more tears of grief. "How can I be happy if you leave?"

Yugi stared at him, lost in sudden misunderstanding.

"Yugi you're…" Yami tried, his voice breaking as he took another step closer to his Hikari. "You're everything to me. I only want to live happy if you do too." He looked away as more tears fell down his cheeks. "I don't know why you hate me, why you don't want me anymore…but if you go home - I'll jump for you."

Yugi continued to stare - now more stunned then ever. Was he serious? Did Yami just offer to kill himself as long as Yugi didn't? What was going on? Yami plainly said he didn't want to be friends anymore, he didn't want to be around Yugi anymore - Yami didn't even want to protect him anymore, and that's Yami's entire nature, he protected the ones he loved…so if Yami didn't care anymore, if Yami did hate him, why was he up here trying to coax Yugi down? Shouldn't he be happy Yugi was going to kill himself? And then Yami would be free of his Hikari for the rest of his life - it didn't make sense.

Wait a minute…

"I don't hate you." Yugi said taken aback. "What gave you that idea?"

Yami looked at him, just as surprised. "Then…why have you been running away from me all this time? Why didn't you want to talk to me? To see me?"

"That's what you wanted." Yugi said sadly. "I know you don't care anymore. I know that you have your own life now. You don't need me Yami, you can survive on your own. I have no…regrets. I was happy… while it lasted…"

Misunderstanding ruled this conversation. Neither understood the other - and neither were interpreting quite the same thing…or what each intended to mean either.

"I have regrets."

Yugi's eyes widened as Yami stepped up to the edge of the arch, now he too staring down at the murky waters that silently willed him to fall.

"I regret the way things have become." Yami said softly, his voice filled with sorrow. "I regret not being as close as we used to, but most of all…I regret not being part of your life anymore." Yami cast grief-stricken crimson eyes onto Yugi's. "If you live, I agree to die. You're much to loved to be lost like this." Tears welled in his eyes. "Even if you don't requite that love."

For a long moment, Yugi gazed into Yami's eyes, becoming more and more confused as the moments passed. He didn't understand the grief in Yami's eyes. Why was he so sad? Isn't this what he wanted? Didn't he want Yugi out of his life forever? Why was Yami willing and ready to die for him if Yami hated him so?

None of this made sense, and Yugi's fuzzy, tired, messed up mind wasn't helping him figure it out.

Yugi shook his head slowly, confusion filling his amethyst eyes as he gazed upon his Dark. "I-I don't understand…"

Yami bit his lip, struggling not to breakdown completely. "I can't be happy without you here Yugi. And you're wrong about me not caring. I care about you. You're my whole world, my reason for living again. I need you with me to be happy. But if I plague your life, I will end mine now, and you can live on."

Yami turned to the dark waters again.

"I don't deserve you, I never have. For all the suffering I put you through, for tormenting your life, making you hate me…I deserve to die." Yami whispered. "I was never the strong one, you were. You are so much more then I am. And you're better then I'll ever be."

He closed his eyes.

"Forgive me…for loving you."

Yami stepped off the edge.


	25. Pitch

Chapter 25 - Pitch

"YAAAMMMIII!" Yugi screamed.

The rough stone of the arch scraped against this skin as he dived for his Dark, plunging a hand down into the void, desperate to do anything and everything to save his Dark.

Rain blurred his vision, fever lulled his mind - but his heart was suddenly beating stronger then ever.

Something hit Yugi's hand. Without even caring what it was, he grasped it tightly.

A cry of pain tore out of him as Yami's weight jerked his entire arm, quickly and effectively dislocating his shoulder. Ignoring the shock of excruciating pain, Yugi reached back with his free hand and grasped the other edge of the arch, holding on as tightly as he could to keep himself from falling as well as the additional weight currently tearing his arm off.

Tears of physical as well as emotional anguish flooded through Yugi as he forced his eyes open and gazed down, dreading what he would see.

To his pure relief he gazed down into Yami's distressed crimson eyes, hanging in midair solely by Yugi's grip on his left wrist.

"Yugi! Let go!" Yami shouted through the thunder as the storm worsened above them into an all out lightning storm. "Let me go! Let go or you'll fall with me!"

"I don't care!" Yugi yelled back, ignoring the pain and determinedly holding onto his Dark. "I can't let you do this!"

"Yugi, it's okay!" Yami told him. "I want to do this for you! I won't live knowing I've ever harmed you! I can't live with you hating me!"

Yugi shook his head, more tears falling. "NO! I WON'T LET YOU GO!"

He locked eyes with Yami, his voice suddenly softening, gaining a tone of sincerity that meant the following words were spoken from the heart, and the heart alone.

"I don't hate you Yami." Yugi said softly. "I could never hate you."

Yami's heart began to pound with shock as well as relief and misunderstanding all in one. Despite the now raging storm, he heard his Hikari's words echoing kindly through his mind as well as his ears.

His eyes widened as he gazed up at Yugi. His Light's beautiful eyes were suddenly filled with such love he had only ever dreamed of seeing there. Such love Yami had no idea could fill those eyes that had seemed so dead, so devoid of anything only moments ago.

Yugi's amethyst eyes almost glistened with an inner light, glowing with kindness, hope and caring that Yami had come to cherish so much in his younger half.

"I don't want you to leave me Yami." Yugi told him. "I never did."

And suddenly the universe just seemed to bring Yami's most treasured dream to life.

Yugi smiled.

That perfect, wonderful, everything-is-going-to-work-out smile that just made the world a whole better place to be stuck in.

It was a perfect moment.

But like all perfect moments, it had to end.

Yami drew in a sharp breath, suddenly and vividly realising they were still on the verge of falling to their watery deaths at the bottom of the lake below.

Yami could sense the pain coursing through Yugi at the sheer effort he was using just to hold Yami above the waters, his little Hikari pouring every last ounce of strength he had into keeping his Dark from falling.

Yami's blood ran cold. Yugi was still extremely ill and weaker then ever - there wasn't a chance in hell he could hold Yami and himself for longer then a few more seconds. And Yugi's grip on the arch was already beginning to slip.

Yami looked up at Yugi determinedly.

"Yugi you have to let go!" Yami shouted. "You can't hold on to us both! I WON'T LET YOU FALL!"

Yugi looked at him. And suddenly everything changed - changed for the better. It was like the entire world just faded away for a moment, until there was nothing left but himself and Yami. And suddenly there was no fear, no pain, and not a trace of sadness.

Serenity ruled.

"It'll be okay Yugi! Just let go! I could probably use magic or something…" Yami's voice trailed off.

In his heart of hearts, he knew he wasn't going to get out of this unscathed. The lake's once calm waters were now swirling wildly below them, lapping up at them, agitated by the storm and seemingly hungry for fresh blood.

If the fall didn't kill him - the under current sure would. There was no way anyone could swim through that, Yami would just be dragged to down kicking and screaming until he finally drowned.

But even if he did fall to his death - there wasn't a chance in hell he was taking Yugi down with him.

Yami looked up, ready to beg Yugi to release him, and steeled himself to even lie to him just to make him let go.

The words died on his lips.

Their gazes locked.

Yugi was looking at him with such happiness in his eyes; Yami couldn't even bring himself to say a word to break that wonderful image of his lovely Hikari.

/_It'll be okay, Yami_./ Yugi whispered serenely. /_Trust me_./

His words were soft, sure and sincere, flitting innocently through Yami's mind. It was such an odd thing to say in such a dangerous situation, and yet as Yugi said those words…Yami believed him to the depths of his very soul.

Just because Yugi said it, Yami truly believed it…it was going to be okay.

One last moment passed.

And Yugi released his hold on the arch.

As they fell, crimson and amethyst locked once more.

Still connected by his Yugi's hold on his wrist, Yami caught his Hikari…and drew his Light into his arms.

And for one brief, perfect moment - Yami and Yugi were truly happy in each other's embrace.

Before the lake claimed them both in its dark embrace.


	26. Breathe

Note – sorry this took so long to post, I had an exam – and I did so good! YAY!

Chapter 26 - Breathe

Nothing compared to the impact.

Yami felt like a truck had crashed full-on into him. His entire body jarred excruciatingly as he hit the water, the lake instantly closing over his head. Instinctively gasping as pain flooded through his form, his lungs half-filled with icy water as he struggled against the current rapidly dragging him and Yugi down.

Yami had deliberately taken the brunt of the incredible force and protected Yugi tightly against his chest, clasping the younger teenager lovingly in his arms. But it wasn't enough; the fall was too harsh for Yugi's weakened form to handle and had passed out as soon as they had plunged into the watery depths.

The water was colder then Yami could ever imagine - and even more merciless then he ever dreamed.

On the verge of passing out from the pain and the shock of the freezing cold water, Yami's grip on Yugi faltered, his muscles restricting painfully at the cold temperatures - and the lake chose to maliciously rip his Hikari from his arms completely.

A silent cry escaped him as Yami was forcefully dragged down under the water's surface, the darkness around him stealing Yugi away in an instant.

Panic seized Yami as the blackness enclosed around him again. Desperately he fought against the strengthening under current still mercilessly pulling him down, all the while his lungs screaming at him to surface, burning agonisingly with lack of oxygen. The water was becoming colder and colder the further down he was dragged - and he was rapidly weakening. His already tired body just couldn't cope with such extremes, and his lungs were searing, his head reeling from lack of oxygen.

Underwater, Yami choked, his chest contracting, trying to dispel the water, but this only drew in more of the icy liquid, making him cough out more bubbles of precious air he so desperately needed.

But Yami didn't care about himself; all he could think about was Yugi. He couldn't see him anywhere. The lake had just savagely ripped Yugi away from him, and hidden him within its shadows, until Yami couldn't even see himself, let alone his little Hikari.

The darkness of the waters just pressed against him on all sides, denying him air, freedom - and the sight of his beautiful Yugi lost within its watery embrace.

Amidst his rising dread, something stirred within Yami. His eyes widening in surprise, he glanced down - just in time to see the Sennen Eye of his Millennium Puzzle shimmer with awakened magics.

Mentally clawing his mind back from the brink of a panic-attack Yami grasped his Puzzle and closed his eyes, summoning his power and forcing his mind to concentrate.

_Light, I need light. Illuminate the darkness…let me see my love…_

Almost immediately the Puzzle complied. The magical item's Eye shimmered with golden magics, flaring out from the Puzzle in a burst of golden light rippling outwards and illuminated a wide circle around him - including the lake's floor.

Yami's heart stopped in pure, unadulterated horror.

Yugi was lying motionless on the lake's bed only a few metres away, seemingly lifeless.

A new source of strength broke out from somewhere within Yami, a source he had no idea he even possessed - but was so unbelievably thankful for it.

Pouring his new strength into his aching muscles, Yami determinedly swam towards Yugi, ignoring his bodily protests from his screaming lungs and rapidly freezing form - all he could think about was getting Yugi safe. For all Yami cared, the lake could have him, keep him, do whatever it wanted with him, but there wasn't a chance in hell it was keeping Yugi.

Fighting against the current, it seemed to take Yami an eternity to get to Yugi, but finally he made it, and he was exhausted.

His heart burst with love and happiness as he finally touched his love once more, gently drawing Yugi back into his arms where he felt to right to belong. But that happiness subsided as soon as he felt Yugi's fragile, form against him.

Yugi felt colder then the lake around them.

Those beautiful amethyst eyes were closed; his entire form lying lifelessly in his arms.

Just one thought entered Yami's mind - he had to get Yugi out of here.

The pressure of the depth was ringing in his ears, his heart was pounding erratically in his chest and his body was on the verge of complete breakdown - but Yami had to try, he had to save Yugi. Yugi was his whole world.

If his world died, so would everything else.

Yami couldn't explain it. Ever since he had first met Yugi, he had noticed that there was something about this teenager that bound everyone who knew him together. Without Yugi, it was like the entire world they all knew and loved would just fall apart.

Yami tilted his gaze up, looking up through the waters' distortion. The surface looked so close, so inviting, he had to try for it, he had to try.

Yami closed his eyes, clasping Yugi even tighter then before.

And kicked upwards as hard as he could.

Three agonisingly long seconds passed.

And Yami finally broke the surface. Water poured out of his lips as he tried to take a breath, only to find his lungs full of water. His chest constricting painfully to rid all the water, it was another moment before Yami could actually breathe for himself again. Drawing in huge lungfuls of air, his head finally began to clear.

Able to breathe once more, but still extremely cold, Yami whirled around in the waters, still determinedly holding Yugi against him. His gaze caught the shock of whiteness of the stone arch looming over him, inadvertently showing him the way to the lake's edge. His heart thudded in sheer relief; the bank was only twenty feet away, it was so close.

Above him, the thunder storm died down back to the rainstorm of before; calming the lake's actions down thankfully as Yami awkwardly swam to the bank, dragging Yugi with him.

After what seemed like forever, Yami finally reached the edge, and forcefully pushed Yugi's unconscious form up onto the bank before he finally hauled himself out. Staring defiantly back at the dark waters of the lake that had tried so hard to claim them, Yami shook up shakily, easily scooping Yugi into his arms bridal style and carried him to the base of the arch pillar, unable to take him any further.

His strength utterly depleted, Yami fell to his knees in exhaustion and gently as he could lay Yugi down on the flagstones.

"Y-Yugi?" Yami whispered, his voice quivering way out of his control from the cold. "C-can you h-hear me?"

His hands shivering as much as from the cold as from the sudden anxiety, Yami gently ran his fingers over Yugi's cheek, his heart tearing apart as he felt such iciness under his touch instead of the natural warmth radiating from his young Hikari's skin. Biting his lip in worry, Yami passed his fingers over Yugi's lips, hoping against hope to feel the warmth of Yugi's breath.

But there was nothing.

His heart pounding in fear, Yami leaned down and ripped open Yugi's shirt, listing intently for a heartbeat.

Yami sent up a silent thank you to the universe in general.

There was a faint heartbeat, but it was there - that's all Yami needed to know.

Tears fell from Yami's eyes as he lovingly pulled his Hikari up into sitting position and slipped his arms around Yugi's body, just below the ribcage. A distressed sob escaped Yami as Yugi slumped back against his chest lifelessly.

"I'm sorry…" Yami whispered, hating himself as he tightened his grip, clasping his own hands, forming a circle around Yugi's form.

He sharply jerked his arms upward, squeezing tighter at the same time. Yami felt physically sick as Yugi's body jolted under the action, but didn't respond.

Hating himself more and more, knowing the bruises that it would cause, Yami performed the action again and again - but still there was no reaction.

"Yugi please," Yami pleaded, holding the younger teenager close. "Please, please don't leave me."

Squeezing his eyes shut in disgrace at himself, Yami took a deep, shaky breath and painfully jerked Yugi's body again.

Suddenly Yugi convulsed sharply in his arms, reflexively turning onto his side as water poured out from his lips, and now gasping in lungfuls of air in its place.

More relieved then he ever thought possible, Yami gently laid his Light back down on the flagstones and lovingly rubbed his back, gently helping Yugi dispel the last of the water from his lungs and finally breath easy once more.

"Oh Yugi…" Yami said softly, drawing the younger teenager into his arms again. "I thought I'd lost you…"

But Yugi was still unconscious and deathly cold…but so was Yami. This was it. He couldn't do anymore. A mortal body could only handle so much.

Shivering, Yami drew Yugi even closer, lying back against the pillar desperate just to hold the one he cherished so much, even if it was only for a few more moments before they both launched into hypothermia and froze to death right then and there.

Yami just wanted to be close to him. To hold him. Love him, even if Yugi never returned it, or desired it - it's all Yami ever wanted from his Light.

Just to be close to him.

As long as Yami had that, he could die content, and Yugi could live.

Yami closed his eyes, exhausted, and wrapped Yugi up in the little warmth he could offer in his arms.

It was the last gift he could give to Yugi, before Yami was cruelly dragged into unconsciousness with him.


	27. Interest

Chapter 27 - Interest

For a long moment the angel gazed down at the boys from where he sat atop the arch.

These two…he had never seen two souls so indescribably intertwined…part of him wondered if the gods themselves had created this pairing.

Lord Fate and Lady Destiny had done a fine job is creating two spirits so perfect for each other.

Ah but mortals…so foolish in their ways…yet so adamant in their love they would sacrifice everything and all to try and offer the glisten of the tiniest shred of happiness to the one they cherish so truly…

Compassion filling him, the angel raised a hand to the heavens and gently bid the wrath of the storm to die down, gently flexing his beautiful white wings to shield the mortals below him from the last raindrops that fell.

The angel smiled.

These two had to be his favourites in a _very _long time.

Such love they possessed…

And yet so much guidance had been needed for them - but now, the angel knew, only one little nudge would fulfil their love completely.

After all…

…love is sacrifice, and to sacrifice - is to love.

And they had already done far too much of that. They deserved happiness; they truly did…now to get them to admit it…

The angel's eyes glanced up as the roar of an engine filled the air - and within a moment, he was gone in a shimmer of pure white magics, with nothing more then a lasting smile - upon two mortals he had come to admire so much.


	28. Rescue

Chapter 28 - Rescue

"_There they are!"_

"_Oh my god…what happened to them?"_

"_Are they even…alive?" _

"_Leo," _

"_On it,"_

…

"_They're extremely cold and tired, but they're not too hurt…Damn, something's blocking me, I can't heal them."_

"_Um…why's his arm hanging like that?" _

"_It's dislocated you idiot, can't you see that?"_

"_Bakura, this is serious! How are we going to get them home? You can't all fit in Joey's car, or take them on your bike."_

"_Whatever we do, let's do it fast, they're going into hypothermic shock." _

"_It's that bad?"_

"_It's beyond bad Sakura." _

"_Oh my god…I can't believe Yugi came back here…"_

"_What're you talking about Tea?"  
"He came back here, I can't believe he came back here to this…place."_

"_Yugi? Yami? Can you hear me?" _

The voices sounded out of place, almost ethereal, Yugi didn't know whether he was dreaming or if he was awake. He could hear the voices of his friends so clearly…but he didn't know if it was real. And he was too exhausted to even open his eyes, let alone move even a fraction to let them know he was still alive.

"_Look, they're unconscious, we've gotta get them home and to a doctor right now."_

"_How do you suggest we do that? We can't take them together, Joey's car's too small." _

"_Well split them up then."_

"_Yami's got a steel grip on Yugi. He won't let him go."_

"_Sorry Yami, but you're gonna have to let go for now. We can't take you both home together."_

_Yugi felt gentle hands carefully pick him up, he instantly missing the warmth of Yami surrounding him._

"_Here, Krysta can you fly Yugi back? Sakura can't hold him alone but you can. Joey can take Yami."_

"_Alright, Yue can you shield us from the wind and storm?"_

"_Yes Mistress," _

"_I'll help too, you guys just take Yami home, we'll meet you there. I'll use the Shield to protect them."  
"Ryou, Bakura you guys go on ahead your bike's faster and call a doctor as soon as you get to Yugi's house okay?"  
"Got it." _

"_Come on Yami, god you don't half make me work do you?"_

"_Let's go Joey." _

A moment later, Yugi felt a new warmth surround him in the form of someone's fluffy coat wrapped around him, and then he felt his feet leave the ground altogether.

Still not knowing whether he was awake or dreaming, Yugi relaxed into the new embrace. For some reason he felt…safe.

And gradually let the darkness take over once more.


	29. History

Chapter 29 - History

Krysta watched Tea with growing uneasiness. Her friend hadn't stopped fidgeting even after the doctor had left saying both Yami and Yugi were going to be fine in a few days - so why was she so worked up?

"Okay, Tea," Joey said finally reaching the end of his very little patience. "You're really beginning to bug me - what's eating you?"

Tea bit her lip anxiously.

"He went back there!" She burst out suddenly. "He went back to that place! He promised he'd never go back there! But he did! He went back!"

Annoyed by her rising voice, Bakura stepped forward and caught her wrists, forcefully calming her down. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Tears rolled down Tea's cheeks as she visibly broke down, collapsing into a seat by the kitchen table. "Yugi promised me he'd never go back there again…" She whispered. "That place…"

Yue frowned thinking back to the area they had found the two in. "That place…there was so much negative energy there. Like something terrible has happened there over and over."

Suddenly feeling a lot more anxious, Leo slipped a hand under her chin and made her look up. "What is that place Tea?"

Tea's voice trembled as she answered. "That place…is where people go …to kill themselves."

There was silence.

"Yugi's been there before?" Leo asked softly.

Tea nodded, holding back a sob. "Seven years ago. A week after the accident…he went there…" She covered her face with her hands. "He just wanted to see his parents again…"

Sakura gasped. "Yugi's an orphan?"

Joey nodded. "You didn't know?"

Leo, Sakura and Krysta shook their heads.

Tristen frowned. "Didn't it ever strike you that Yugi didn't live with his parents?"

Leo looked taken aback. "Actually no, I thought his parents just travelled a lot. He said they were archaeologists. He doesn't really talk about them much."

Tea sighed. "No, he doesn't. I think he wants to keep his memory of them exactly the way they were."

"Yugi didn't even tell us exactly what happened." Ryou said softly.

Tea shook her head. "He doesn't talk about it to anyone. But Yugi's parents died in an accident seven years ago." She took a deep breath. "His mom and dad were excavating a tomb in the Valley of the Queens in Egypt, leaving Yugi with Grandpa here in Japan, and the tomb collapsed on them both. They both passed away that day, and Yugi was left with Grandpa to bring up." Tea wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Yugi was devastated. He only wanted to see them again so he ran away a week later to Lovers' Lake to kill himself. He couldn't take the grief anymore. He only wanted to see his parents again."

The silence continued.

"Who stopped him?" Bakura asked.

Tea looked at him blankly.

"Who stopped Yugi from killing himself that night?" Bakura asked again.

Tea shrugged, shaking her head. "I don't know. He only told me the next morning what he's tried to do."

Krysta glanced through the doorway to the two sleeping figures on the make-shift bed on the floor of the living room before the roaring fireplace.

"So what upset him enough to make Yugi go there tonight?" She wondered.

Ryou shook his head sadly. "For some reason they think the other hates them, they're literally torn apart."

Joey sighed, following Krysta's gaze. "And it looks like its torn Yugi and Yami apart in one devastating way."

"I hope they get through this." Sakura whispered.


	30. Time

Chapter 30 - Time

Almost twelve hours passed, and the angel watched over them. He could sense such chaotic emotions ricocheting through the teenagers so vividly; his own heart ached at such uncertain emotions.

He gracefully raised a hand and waved it through the air.

It was time.


	31. Drastic Measures

Chapter 31 – Drastic Measures

Yugi awakened, feeling a whole lot better then before. For the first time in ages he could actually form a thought without having to battle the fluff in his head away, he didn't feel uncomfortably hot either, and he actually felt a lot stronger then he had done the last time he was awake…he felt almost normal.

He heard a soft moan accent the air.

Slowly, Yugi opened his eyes.

Directly opposite him, Yami did the same.

Crimson and amethyst locked.

For the longest moment, neither moved. They stayed still, lying on their sides, facing each other - just looking at each other.

To Yami, Yugi looked more perfect then ever. For a split-second he wondered if he was dead and he was gazing at heaven itself…but then he realised he was lying in a hastily created bed in the middle of the living room. But still, Yami wondered if he was dead. Nothing could possibly be more wonderful then waking up to see his beautiful Light before his eyes.

Across from him, Yugi was wondering the exact same thing…up until he shifted slightly - and winced in sudden pain.

"Are you okay?" Yami asked, instantly bolting up as Yugi flinched.

Yugi took a deep breath, grateful for the help sitting up. Wondering where the pain was coming from, he glanced at the origin - and found his shoulder bandaged, binding around his slightly bruised chest under his sweater to provide support.

"Oh…I must've hurt my shoulder." Yugi murmured. "I guess we're not -" He looked up into Yami's eyes. " - dead."

Yami blinked, taken aback. Yugi had been thinking the exact same thing as he had been.

They gazed at each other.

"Are you alright?" They asked simultaneously.

Yugi felt a tiny smile flit across his lips. "Yeah I guess." He glanced up at his Dark. "What about you?"

Yami nodded. "I'm fine."

Awkward silence settled between them.

Yami looked away from those beautiful amethyst eyes, his heart bruising once more. In that moment, all he wanted to do was hold Yugi close and tell him how much he loved him…but he couldn't. Yugi didn't want that. He just wanted friendship…

Yami fought back the fresh tears, determinedly blinking them away. If that's what Yugi wanted, he wasn't going to jeopardise that again. Yami almost lost his love once, and he sure as hell wasn't going to drive him away again. Never again. He would never ever forgive himself.

Yugi bit his lip, watching his Dark. His memory of the night before was gradually seeping back to him, but so much had happened, he still needed time to work it all out - and figure out what it all meant.

Yami had been willing to die for him last night - why? He'd been willing to risk his own life, put himself through hell all night just chasing Yugi through Domino - but why? Why did he do all of that?

"Yami?" Yugi said softly.

His Dark looked up. "Yes?"

Yugi faltered. "U-um…"

Yami cringed inwardly, hearing the roughness of Yugi's voice. "Would you like a drink?"

Yugi looked up at him gratefully. "Thank you."

Yami nodded silently, not trusting himself to say another word, and stood up. Feeling a lot less then strong, it took a surprising amount of effort to make it into the kitchen. Reaching the counter, he took a glass from the cupboard and filled it with tap water.

Setting the glass on the counter, Yami stared at it for a long moment. As he did all the memories from last night flooded relentlessly through his mind.

The image of his perfect Yugi standing up there on the arch…the emptiness of those incredible soul-searching eyes…just the sense of the broken presence of his wonderful Hikari that he loved so much standing up there wanting to end his own life - it was soul-destroying for Yami.

And he knew he had driven Yugi up there, driven him into wanting to end his own life.

But Yami didn't understand…why had Yugi stopped him from taking his place? He would've killed himself last night just to offer Yugi some shred of happiness in his life, so why did Yugi stop him?

Yami shook his head, tears already streaming down his cheeks. "Why does he want to keep me, if he doesn't want me?"

Yami pressed a hand to his heart, feeling it sear intolerably with pain.

"I don't understand…" He whispered.

Yami mentally slapped himself. Fate had given him another chance. Yugi was safely home again and now Yami had the chance to be a better friend to Yugi, and right all the wrongs he had done in the past…even if he didn't quite know what had driven them apart in the first place. But he was not going to let it happen again.

Yami had Yugi's entire lifetime to help him enjoy. Yugi could grow up now, finish school go to university, or get a job, anything he wanted.

_He could even fall in love. _

Yami felt his heart burst in grief.

"Why did you stop me?" Yami whispered, clutching the edge of the counter, just to keep himself standing. "I wanted to die for you…I wanted to show how much you mean to me…" He closed his eyes. "I wanted the pain to stop…"

Yami was breaking down. He was crumbling away from the inside out.

Yugi wanted his friendship, but not his love. But love was all Yami could offer. He had tried to be just friends and it had led Yugi to attempting suicide.

Yami loved Yugi so much.

But Yugi didn't want that. He wanted Yami to stay but be happy without him. But still Yami loved him so much.

And if Yugi never returned that love - Yami would never be happy. He had come to accept that overtime without actually accepting it. It was just something he tried not to think about - tried so hard not to think about the possibilities, or the opportunities or anything, knowing it would reduce him to nothing when he realised it would never happen. Yugi would never love him back.

Yugi wasn't his to have.

Yami loved him, but Yugi didn't love him back.

Before it was enough just to be close to Yugi, but something had changed; drastically changed. Yami couldn't live with just being close to Yugi anymore, the pain of seeing him everyday, watching him drift further and further apart from him - it was too much to handle. His heart could only stand so much.

Yami loved him, but Yugi didn't love him back.

The pain of knowing this was far, far worse then any pain he'd ever felt before.

He couldn't take it. He had to end it. End it all now.

A glint of silver caught his eye.

As if in childlike fascination, Yami's gaze drifted past the glass of water to the utensil holder.

_Please be happy Yami. It's all anyone could ever wish for._

He would never be happy without Yugi. Just knowing what he could never have was soul-searing enough to break him down to absolute nothingness.

All will to live left him

Yami reached out and took the knife from the sheath.


	32. Tied Down

Chapter 32 – Tied Down

"We should be in there!" Joey hissed for the fifth time, trying his best to keep his voice down.

"We're not going in Joey," Tea stated fiercely, she too struggling to keep her voice down. "So quit saying we should!"

"It's not like we can move anyway." Tristen said, glancing around them.

It was true. At that moment, Joey, Tea, Tristen, Ryou and Bakura were sitting down in the middle of the back garden of the Moto home - all bound tightly in the Wood Card's embrace.

"Is this still necessary?" Bakura asked as quietly as his furious voice would let him.

Krysta pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she set her Star Staff down beside Sakura's.

"Sorry guys," She whispered. "We can't risk letting you go yet."

Sakura nodded, sighing deeply but softly. "Uh huh, this is too important. And when Leo knows something - he's usually right about it."

"Can't you at least lift the Silent Card from around us?" Bakura hissed. "I'd really like the pleasure of yelling at you people - or at least scattering your minds to the far corners of the Shadow Realm. This is totally stupid and you lot claim _I'm _the crazy one."

"Give it a rest, will you?" Leo said sharply. "This is more important then you could ever imagine, so just quit whining and keep quiet - it's happening right now."

Everyone looked at him with rising apprehension as they obediently quietened down. Leo's eyes were shimmering so vividly with awakened magics, making his azure blue eyes almost glow with an inner light.

"You know what's going on," Sakura said suddenly. "Don't you?"

Leo turned to her, and nodded. "Yes, I know. Why do you think I lured you all out here and had you and Krysta tie up the others?"

"Why?" Joey asked. "You never actually said."

Leo looked distant for a moment, obviously thinking about what was going on in the house. "It's happening. Fate's taking place as we speak - we can't interfere. It's too dangerous."

Krysta bit her lip anxiously. "What do you mean? Are Yami and Yugi okay?"

Leo looked at his sister. "I don't know." He shook his head. "But we can't risk upsetting the next few moments - it's crucial for…"

Tea stared at him as he trailed off. "Crucial for what?"

Leo glanced back at the house. "For them to survive. And to keep the balance of Light and Dark."

Shocked gasps echoed around him.

"Are you even gonna tell us how you know this?" Bakura pressed, becoming even more annoyed despite secretly being in awe of the Fifth Elemental power of legend.

Leo glanced at him. "I know…because I'm great."

Sighs escaped the other teenagers.

Sakura glared at him, shaking her head. "You're incredible Leo."

"You'd better believe it." Leo turned a little graver. "Seriously though, my magics are going nuts. I honestly don't know why I know we can't be in the house right now. We just can't be anywhere near there, and I'm not gonna argue with an elemental power that's been around longer then the world itself."

Krysta blinked as the Silent Card flickered, agitated, around them. "Guys keep your voices down, Silent's getting annoyed."

"Just out of curiosity, what does Silent do if you get him mad?" Ryou asked apprehensively.

"Oh, he transports you out of the immediate area so keep the quiet." Sakura answered. "If you raise your voice too much, he'll probably send you about a 10 miles away if you annoy him enough - and then you'll just have to walk all the way home."

Everyone instantly quietened.

A thought suddenly struck Krysta.

"Leo, where's Yue?" She asked softly.

Leo smiled, glancing up at the sky. "Catching up with an old friend."


	33. Discovery

Chapter 33 – Discovery

Yugi stood up, suddenly having a very bad feeling. He frowned worriedly, carefully nursing his injured shoulder as he did. The sensation had come on so fast, so unexpectedly - but why?

Yugi felt something tugging at him. At what, he wasn't sure, but something was gently, but persistently pulling at him.

Slowly, Yugi turned around.

"What the…" He murmured, staring in awe.

Yugi gazed out of the window, totally unable to believe his eyes.

There was a man standing on the lamppost outside his house. Actually standing on top of the lamppost - balancing perfectly on the tiny little light. But his wasn't what struck Yugi the most…it was the fact he had large white winds arched perfectly around him. The man looked in all respects like Yue - he was angelic in appearance, wearing long white flowing robes, accented with gold and furthermore…by his long golden-blond hair flowing alluringly in the breeze.

Stunned, Yugi stared up at him, seriously beginning to think he was actually dead but hadn't realised it.

On the lamppost, the Angel of Lovers smiled warmly, his serene blue eyes softening on the teenager.

Gracefully, he raised a hand and gestured for Yugi to look behind him.

Reflexively, Yugi did.

Seeing nothing but the slightly open kitchen doorway, Yugi turned back to the lamppost - only to find nothing there. Startled, he glanced around the street.

"Where did he…" Yugi let his voice trail off.

Did I imagine that? He thought confusedly. Why would there have been an angel outside my house…?

Yugi whirled around in sudden realisation.

What the angel had been showing him…the origin of the bad feeling…it was coming from the kitchen. Yugi frowned. But there was no one in the -

Yugi's heart stopped.

"Yami."

Without a second thought, Yugi dashed across the room, ignoring his aching body and burst into the kitchen.

"Yami!"

Kneeling down in the middle of the kitchen floor was Yami. He had been holding the blade of a large knife above his heart with both hands as Yugi had burst in. Now startled, Yami dropped the knife, his gaze flitting up to Yugi in surprise and anguish as the blade clattered to the floor.

Yugi stared in disbelief at his Dark. His ever-strong Dark side was kneeling on the floor, looking like the entire world had collapsed on top of him, looking up at Yugi with distraught, tear-filled crimson eyes that Yugi would have given anything never to see again.

"Yami what're you doing?" Yugi asked, shocked at the sight of the knife.

Yugi kneeled down before Yami, staring stunned at his Dark.

Yami was absolutely destroyed.

He was shaking uncontrollably as he kneeled there, more silent tears streaming down his cheeks, now seemingly a whole lot more vulnerable without the knife he had been holding.

"Yami…" Yugi murmured.

Yami recoiled back, trembling even more as he slammed into the counter behind him, making his blond locks fall across one eye. His eyes were wide with messed up emotions sparking relentlessly through them as he looked at Yugi almost impassively, lost in a tide of his own feelings taking him over completely.

Yami shook his head, staring at Yugi, already in the middle of a total meltdown.

"Why…?" Yami whispered, his voice shaking as much as his body.

Yugi shook his head, trying to find some glimmer of sanity in his Dark's once striking eyes.. "I don't understand."

Yami held back a sob, clutching his hands to his tearing heart. "Why didn't you let me fall?"

Yugi felt his own tears sting his eyes, taken aback by the question. "I-I didn't want you to die Yami. I never wanted that."

Yami stared at him. "I wanted it."

Yugi looked up at him in shock. "W-what?"

"I wanted t-to die for you," Yami whispered, distraught. "I-I only wanted to show you…"

Yugi's breath hitched as Yami covered his face with shaking hands, his body convulsing with a silent sob.

Desperation took over.

"Yami!" Yugi said, pulling his hands away. "Please, please talk to me. Tell me what's happening to you."

Yami stared. "You." He whispered.

Yugi blinked. "Me?"

"I only ever wanted to see you," Yami said softly, feeling the last shred of his bleeding heart die away slowly. He closed his eyes letting the tears fall. "I just wanted to be close to you." He drew in a shaky breath, trying to find the will to keep breathing. "It made me so happy to see you everyday…but now I can't…I-I can't do it…"

"Yami, you're not making any sense." Yugi said, beginning to lose all hope of getting his Yami back the way he was before.

Yami shook his head. "No," He said, burying his face in his hands again. "I want to die. I want the pain to stop. I-I can't take it anymore…please let me die…"

Yugi was already dying inside just hearing such distressing words fall from Yami's lips, begging for his life to end to stop the suffering of something Yugi just couldn't comprehend.

"Yami please," Yugi pressed, trying to pull his hands away again. "Tell me what's wrong. I just want to help you. Please, tell me what's hurting you."

Finally, Yugi ripped away Yami's hands, pinning his wrists to the counter behind him, now only inches apart.

Yugi gazed into, broken, dying crimson eyes.

"Tell me…" Yugi whispered.

Yami gazed back, his soul well and truly shattered.

"Why…?" He whispered.

Yugi shook his head. " Yami…I don't…"

Yami gazed into Yugi's beautiful eyes, a soft sob of absolute distress escaping him, knowing exactly what he could never have.

"Why couldn't you love me?"

Yugi froze. Paralysed at his Dark's words, Yugi stared at him. Suddenly everything was making sense to him - the reason why Yami had been chasing him all night, why he had begged him not to kill himself, why he had offered up his own life for Yugi to keep his…so much of last night made sense now.

Yami loved him. Yami was in love with him.

Yugi had been wrong all along. Him and Yami hadn't been growing apart - they'd been growing closer, they just didn't realise it because neither were catching the signs…

Yami was in love with him, and Yami had convinced himself Yugi would never love him back. So much so, he was about to stab himself to death to stop the pain of thinking he could never have what was his all along…

Well that was about to change.

Slowly, Yugi released Yami's wrists, and instead cupped Yami's face in his hands, lovingly wiping away the tears on his Dark's cheeks. Yami gazed up at him vacantly, too upset to understand what Yugi was about to do.

Gently, Yugi tilted Yami's face up, looking into those incredible scarlet eyes, more like twin pools of the rarest of rubies.

Before Yami even had a chance to comprehend what was happening, Yugi leaned down - and graced Yami's lips with a soft but deep kiss.

Too stunned to even respond, let alone open his eyes as the kiss ended, Yami stayed where he was, broken, tired, messed up and now incredibly confused.

"I do love you Yami." Yugi's voice whispered. "I've always loved you."

It was like nirvana had opened its gates to Yami. It was the words he had longed to hear for so long, he had forgotten a time when he hadn't been in love with his Hikari.

Yami opened his eyes to find Yugi's wonderful smiling face filling his entire vision, especially those amethyst eyes full of kindness that he had come to adore so much.

"I love you Yami." Yugi whispered again, tears of happiness, now slipping down his cheeks. "It's always been you."

This time when Yugi kissed him, Yami responded. He kissed Yugi back with all the love he had to give.

His mind and heart were as messed up as ever, thoughts and emotions clashing chaotically within him. Which in turn made Yami seriously not understand what had happened, but one thing was for sure…

…Yugi loved him.

He loved him, he really truly did - or Yugi wouldn't be kissing him so amorously right then.

And that was…good.

A few moments later, the two teenagers, kissing out of sheer happiness to be in each other's arms finally broke apart.

"You need to calm down," Yugi said softly, lightly caressing Yami's cheek.

He could still sense such frenzied, confused emotions surging through his Dark that Yugi suspected Yami wasn't even aware of half of what was going on as a result. Meltdown coupled with an emotional roller coaster wasn't a good mix for someone unused to it - or already under a lot of fatigue and stress.

Careful not to let his touch leave his Dark, Yugi stood up. "Come on," He said gently helping Yami up with his good arm.

A few seconds later the two of them were back on the make-shift bed, lying back into the softness side-by-side.

Wordlessly, Yugi leaned over Yami and kissed him briefly.

"Just a reminder, so you don't forget." Yugi said cutely.

Feeling somewhat calmer, Yami felt himself smile softly. "I'll never forget. This is the best moment of my life."

Yugi sighed contently as Yami drew him into his arms, careful not to hurt him. He had only ever dreamed of being this close to Yami, he honestly couldn't believe his Dark was holding him like this.

"Mine too." Yugi whispered, closing his eyes.

Yami held Yugi closer still, feeling happier then ever. "I love you, Yugi."

"I love you too, Yami." Yugi murmured.

And once more, the serenity of the moment up on the arch returned for that point in time.

"I only ever," Yami whispered, cuddling Yugi tightly, never wanting to let go. "Wanted to be close to you…"

Yugi smiled, finally having something worth living for. "Likewise."

Despite the misunderstandings still plaguing them both, for this moment in time - they were happy.

And just then, that's all that mattered.

Note – It's not finished yet!


	34. Old Friends

Chapter 34 – Old Friends

The Angel of Lovers smiled as he sensed his two charges fall asleep. Their spirits were finally at peace.

That was it. His task was complete and the balance of Light and Dark had been kept.

He chuckled softly, thinking of his young charges.

He sighed shaking his head. "Such drama…"

His ethereal voice glided gently on the breeze like pure music. It was caught by no mortal - just one old friend.

"Busy day?"

The angel smiled hearing the voice almost as soft and delicate as his own. He hadn't heard that voice in a long time.

He closed his eyes.

"Yue," He said softly. "It's been a while."

Yue glided down, balancing flawlessly on a limb opposite the angel of the large oak tree they were concealed within, and folded back his wings.

The angel opened his sky-blue eyes and looked at the guardian admiringly. "So often I forget you're not an angel Yue."

Yue smiled and shrugged gracefully. "It happens."

The angle chuckled. "Still beautiful as ever, Yue." His eyes glinted knowingly. "I see Leo's beginning to rub off on you, isn't he?"

Yue cocked his head to one side. "What makes you say that?"

"Mild sarcasm never used to be one of your traits when you were with Clow Reed." The angel replied. He chuckled again. "Neither was smiling so often."

Yue smiled. "I discovered its favourable attributes." He glanced back at the house. "Why such interest in them?"

The angel sighed contently, following his gaze. "They are more important then they realise in the cosmic balance."

Yue frowned slightly. "How?"

"Light is forever kin with Darkness." The angel replied. "Light or Dark cannot survive without the other. They form the two sides of the same coin."

"So Yami and Yugi are meant to be together?"

The angel nodded. "It was ordained in the Destiny Stars before even time was created." The angel continued. "The split of one soul between two was always to occur, but still Light and Dark's fate is forever intertwined. If one dies, the other will die too - not out of necessity, out of will."

"They're in love…but they didn't realise it?" Yue asked.

The angel glanced at him, amused. "Sound familiar?"

Yue blushed.

The angel smiled. "Yes, they love each other - they just never picked up on it and they drove each other apart." He sighed affectionatly. "Mortals…they are always missing each other somehow. But these two were surprising even to me. I've never seen love make two destined lovers so blind to each other. They needed a lot of guidance."

"Is that why you led Yami to Yugi and then showed yourself to Yugi?" Yue asked. "I thought it was against all the rules to make yourself known."

"It is," The angel answered. "But their inexperience and blindness called for more direct measures to stop the death of one and then of the other."

Yue looked at him. "You showed yourself to me and Leo before."

The angel smiled. "You two were special, just as they are."

"How?" Yue pressed.

The angel chuckled. "Still so inquisitive Yue?"

The guardian blushed again.

He defiantly crossed his arms across his chest. "You didn't answer me."

"I know."

The angel glanced back down at the Moto home affectionately.

"This pairing is destined to happen and is as important to the celestial balance as you and Leo, Yue. That is all I can tell you."

Yue nodded, following his gaze. "Are they safe now?"

The angel was quiet for a moment. He gazed through all-seeing eyes, directly into the hearts of the sleeping forms of his two charges - none other then the Pharaoh Yami of the past and one fifteen year old Yugi Moto.

Darkness and Light.

"I believe," The angel said with a smile. "They'll be just fine."

* * *

Note – It's not finished yet! 


	35. Dreams vs Realities

Chapter 35 – Dreams vs Realities

"Yugi?" Yami whispered. "Are you awake?"

"Shhh," Yugi whispered back. "I'm having the most wonderful dream. I don't wanna wake up."

"What's it about?" Yami asked quietly.

Yugi sighed. "You're in it."

"Is that right? What am I doing?"

Yugi smiled contently. "You're holding me in your arms…you feel so warm and cosy…you're running your fingers through my hair…gently slipping your touch down my back…it's so soft…"

Yami chuckled softly. "What am I doing now?"

"Now…you're pulling me closer…and you're touching my face…lifting it up to tell me to -"

"Open your eyes."

Yugi did so.

And was met by a sight so amazing he was sure he was dreaming.

His Dark lying in bed beside him, those incredible crimson eyes shimmering vividly in the late afternoon sunlight streaming in through the living room windows.

Yami smiled, looking into those innocent amethyst eyes that he had come to adore so much. They were full of the kindness and tenderness Yami so treasured in his lovely little Light.

Lovingly he brushed back a stray lock of Yugi's hair from his eyes, gently letting his touch fall to his Hikari's cheek.

"I need to tell you something." Yami said softly.

Yugi cocked his head to one side curiously, leaning into Yami's touch. "What is it?"

Yami bit his lip. "I'm not sure how you'll react though."

Yugi smiled reassuringly. "Tell me."

Yugi sighed deeply, his eyes closing again as his Dark's fingers played lightly over his lips.

"Tell me…"

Yami smiled. "You're not dreaming."

Yugi opened his eyes again - and smiled beautifully.

"I'm glad." He whispered.

Happier then ever, Yami gently drew his younger Hikari into another deep kiss.

A moment later he gazed down into dazed amethyst eyes, Yugi now lying back against the make-shift bed with Yami leaning over him.

"I could get used to this," Yami commented idly. "I could just kiss you all day…"

Yugi gazed up at him impassively. "Be my guest."

Smiling, Yami kissed him once more before sitting up to see the time on the clock.

"Hmmm, almost three." Yami mused. "We've been sleeping all day."

Beside him, Yugi sat up, crossing his legs, careful not to aggravate his bruises or his sore shoulder. Biting his lower lip, Yugi tentatively touched Yami's back.

"Yami? Are you feeling better now? You were so…hurt earlier."

Yugi blinked as his Dark turned back to him, instinctively recoiling back slightly with apprehension.

Seeing his reaction, Yami quickly caught Yugi's hand and drew the younger teenager into his embrace.

"Yes, tenshi, I'm okay," Yami told him softly. "And I understand now."

Yugi sighed in relief. "That's good. I really do love you Yami." From his embrace, Yugi glanced up at his Dark, his eyes still troubled. "But why were you going to kill yourself?"

Yami stared forlornly at his Hikari for a moment. "I am so in love with you Yugi, it drives me insane. It tore me apart when you never said a word, never gave me a sign or anything…I just wanted the pain of never having you to go away…I'm sorry for scaring you…"

Yugi caught his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "its okay, Yami, I was doing the same thing." He sighed sadly, looking away. "I was so convinced I could never have you…that I was never gonna get over you and just die miserable and alone. I honestly didn't know you felt the same way."

Yami gathered Yugi in his arms, holding his lovely little Light close; wishing to god this moment would never end. This was all he had ever wanted. Yami was in nirvana just being able to hold his true love so close like this. Feeling better then he had ever felt before in his life, Yami closed his eyes, allowing his Light's warm, rich aura to surround him lovingly.

Enjoying being in his Dark's arms more then ever, Yugi relaxed into his embrace, feeling safer then ever before. He really couldn't believe he had ever wanted to run away from Yami, that he had actually thought of taking a train out of Domino and live out the rest of his days far away from the one he loved so much. Thinking of it now, it just seemed so implausible - and completely ridiculous considering how perfect it felt to be in his Dark's arms.

Yugi smiled to himself.

Yami truly loved him, and Yugi had never been so incredibly wrong in his entire life. That went for Yami too.

They had just been through this entire nerve-racking experience for nothing.

They had been in love all along.

"God I can't believe how blind we've been." Yugi said laughing softly.

Yami nodded in agreement, laughing with him. "How could we have missed each other so drastically?"

Suddenly a sharp gasp filled the air.

Startled, the boys looked up in confusion. And was met by wide emerald green eyes.

"You're awake! You're alright! Yay!" Sakura half-yelled happily. She whirled around to the open doorway behind her. "Guys! They're awake!"

The boys cringed at the noise.

"Yes and now we're deaf," Yami remarked as the sound of footsteps filled the air.

Yugi giggled, cuddling up to Yami again. "Small sacrifice." He said dismissively.

Half a second later all their friends burst into the kitchen at Sakura's outburst.

Gasps and cries of happiness filled the air. And Yugi and Yami were showered with happy hugs and inundated with questions from all the excited teenagers.

But one voice broke through all.

"Yami…"

Yugi froze. With everything that had happened, he'd completely forgotten…

Slowly he turned around in Yami's embrace and looked up into big, shocked, blue eyes.

"Tea…" Yugi said softly.

He watched with rising dread as the teenage girl dropped to her knees in shock at the scene.

"Oh my god…" She murmured her hands flying to her mouth. Her eyes widened with surprise as she stared at Yugi. "You're kidding me Yami,"

Yami smiled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I can't believe it either."

Yugi felt tears fill his eyes. He'd just stolen Yami away from Tea and he didn't even realise it until that very moment. Yami had been spoken for all this time…and Yugi had just betrayed his friend by taking Yami away from her - what kind of person was he!

"Yugi?" Yami said anxiously sensing the change in his aura.

Hearing his voice, Yugi instantly darted out of his embrace, wincing at the pain shooting through his arm as he looked up at Tea.

"I'm so sorry…" He whispered, squeezing his eyes shut at the pain.

"Yugi!" Yami exclaimed, quickly catching him as he fell forwards clutching his aching ribs.

"Are you alright?" Tea asked, suddenly appearing before Yugi.

Yugi looked up at her with tear-filled amethyst eyes and slowly nodded.

Tea gazed back, tears filling her eyes. "Oh my god…Yugi, you were in love with Yami all this time?"

Yugi looked up at her, the tears falling down his cheeks. "T-Tea I'm sorry, I didn't want t-to split you apart -"

"Yugi its okay," Yami said soothingly. He smiled gently. "Me and Tea broke up."

Yugi blinked. "W-what? When?"

"Really?" Joey interjected.

Yami smiled. "Last night when I was chasing you around Domino. We kinda bumped into each other at the train station, while I was freezing to death."

Yugi's breath caught as Tea suddenly grabbed him in a tight hug, avoiding his sore shoulder.

"oh Yugi, I so sorry, I had no idea." Tea said through the sudden sobs. "I didn't know you were in love with Yami - I swear I would never have dated him if I knew how much I was hurting you."

She pulled back looking at him with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"That's why you ran away from my house isn't it? Why you ran away from here, from us…"

Biting his lip, Yugi looked down, nodding. "That's right," He said quietly. "I didn't want to hate you Tea…but I could take it anymore. I didn't want to hate you. I wanted Yami to be happy."

Wiping away her tears, Tea shook her head.

"Yami wasn't happy with me Yugi, I tried to change his mind - but it was always you Yugi. Yami always loved you. He was only with me because he was lonely."

Yami stared at her stunned. "How did you know that?"

Tea smiled. "It was more then obvious Yami. But it's okay, really." She looked at Yugi. "I just want you to forgive me for keeping him away from you Yugi. I swear I never would have done this if I knew you loved him back."

Yugi nodded, feeling more relieved then ever before as he hugged his friend. He had never wanted to hate Tea for having Yami; even if she could be a little unbearable at times, she really was a true friend when it mattered. And just by giving up failing miserably fight for Yami she had shown that.

"Is everything okay now?" Joey asked tentatively.

"Yeah, is all what's supposed to have happened - happened?" Tristen added.

Yami and Yugi stared at them blankly.

"Yes," Said a new voice. "It's happened."

All turned around in time to see Yue fly gracefully through the window and join them.

He smiled, his feline eyes softening on Yami and Yugi. "Everything's the way its supposed to be now."

Yami and Yugi continued to stare at them.

"Did we miss something?" Yugi asked finally.

Krysta smiled. "No - you were the something. But I guess you don't need to know about that right now, right Leo?"

Leo nodded. "Uh huh. Right now, you two need to go upstairs and rest up - we've given up the TV room all day for you too to sleep here."

The teenagers laughed.

"Okay, okay," Yami said standing up. "We're going."

"Just out of curiosity," Yugi said standing up with his friends' help. "How did I get bruises on my ribs?"

Yami looked away, guiltily. "Oh I'm sorry tenshi, I did that."

Yugi looked up at him questioningly. "Why?"

"Well we were in the lake and you swallowed the water so you couldn't breathe," Yami told him, lightly touching his Hikari's cheek. "I had to do it to get the water out of your body. I'm sorry Yugi."

Yugi smiled. "Thanks Yami."

"Hang on a sec, you were in the lake?" Joey asked in misunderstanding. "How did you get in the -"

"OH MY GOD! YOU JUMPED!" Tea practically screamed.

Sakura gasped in shock. "You didn't actually jump, did you Yugi?"

Yugi bit his lip. "Well not really…"

"I did." Yami told them.

"WHAT!"

Yami shrugged. "Well if I didn't Yugi was going to."

"Well I was going to but Yami stopped me." Yugi added.

Tristen held up a hand. "Wait a minute, you both jumped into the lake from the arch?"

Yugi shook his head. "No, Yami jumped."

"And Yugi caught me." Yami finished. "That's how he got the sore shoulder."

"Then he fell in with you?" Leo asked.

Yami shook his head. "No, then Yugi let go. Then we both fell in."

There was silent contemplating as the teenagers tried to work this out.

Joey sighed in defeat. "Okay, I give up. Forget it, at least you guys are okay now - and we are so so soooo happy for you."

Yugi giggled cutely, feeling Yami tighten him embrace around him. "Thanks guys."

"Oh you're so cute!" Sakura exclaimed.

Yami felt himself blush at the attention, another smile crossing his lips as he looked down to see Yugi doing the same. A thought sudden struck him.

"Hang on," Yami said, frowning slightly. "How did you guys find us anyway? I didn't even know where I was or how I was led there."

Krysta smiled. "Bakura located you with his Millennium Ring when you used your magic."

"Bakura led you to us?" Yugi asked in disbelief. He shook his head, his amethyst eyes wide. "That's three times he's helped me out in less then a day."

"That is weird for him." Joey commented.

Yami glanced around the teenagers. "Where is he then?"

"Oh, he was mad for me and Krysta tying him up in the backyard so he took off," Sakura told him. "Ryou's gone to calm him down…well try to anyway."

"Bakura told us to tell you he's coming back tomorrow to annoy you to death." Leo added helpfully. "And possibly scream his lungs out at you for involving him in your messed up life."

Yami shook his head, chuckling softly. "That sounds like Bakura. I hope Ryou's okay to handle him."

Joey waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, Ry'll be fine. He has those illustrious charms Bakura just can't resist. He said he'll call later and check up on you two. But right now -"

Yugi giggled as he and Yami were gently urged out of the room by a group effort of all their friends.

"You two - bed." Joey ordered. "We've chased you through the rain, been tied up with magical wood and shushed by a manic Silent Card, _and _we've missed out on TV for you - and that's all you're getting."

Pouting good-naturedly, Yugi and Yami left their still giggling friends and headed upstairs.

Two minutes later they were both lying on Yugi's bed.

"Are you still tired?" Yugi asked, unsuccessfully holding back a yawn.

Yami sighed, relaxing back into the bed's softness. "I am now. Trying to work out what exactly happened yesterday is too hard."

"Don't think about it then, silly."

Smiling, Yami turned his eyes onto his cute little Hikari beside him, giving his Light a mild glare. Listening to Yugi giggle had to be one of Yami's highlights in his entire life. His Hikari's giggle could most definitely warm even the iciest of hearts.

With a deep sigh, Yami drew Yugi into his arms, letting the younger teenager rest his head against his chest.

This was it.

The defining moment.

Right then and there, they knew…

…everything was going to be just fine.

For no apparent reason an innocent thought flitted across his mind.

"Yugi?" Yami said quietly.

"Yes?"

Yami's breath caught as those perfect amethyst eyes turned upwards to lock with his own.

"You know that time I was in your room all night?" Yami asked. "What were you dreaming about?"

A strange look flitted through Yugi's eyes.

"Um…" He said, another blush already creeping through his cheeks. "Well…it was your - wedding."

Yami blinked, sure he had heard wrong. "Sorry?"

Yugi's blush deepened. "I was dreaming about your wedding. You were getting married to Tea."

The image of the lone tear he had witnessed falling from Yugi's closed eyes flashed through Yami's mind.

"So that's why…" He murmured.

Yugi smiled. "There's this line that the minister has to say during the ceremony - 'if anyone opposes this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace'." He sighed, hugging Yami tighter. "I wanted to stop you. To tell you everything…but I couldn't. I thought you were happy with Tea, so I just stayed quiet and traded in my happiness so you could have yours."

Gently, Yami slipped a hand under Yugi's chin and lifted his face up. Gracing his Hikari with a sweet kiss, Yami looked deeply into Yugi's eyes.

"You're the only one who makes me happy, Yugi. Never forget that." Yami told him.

Yugi smiled. "That's good." resting his head back on Yami's chest, Yugi bit his lip. "U, Yami? What about…"

Yami smiled. "Not now."

He chuckled, practically sensing the pout on his new boyfriend's face even if he could see him.

"You're hurt tenshi." Yami told him. "And you're tired."

He smiled.

"But you'll be better by the morning right…?"

Yugi giggled.

Oh that giggle did so many things to Yami…

"Definitely be good as new." Yugi said.

Yugi giggled again as Yami swiftly switched their positions so Yugi was pressed back against the bed and Yami was free to kiss his lovely little Hikari's neck.

"I can't wait." Yami whispered. "To make love to you for real."

"And not just in your dreams?" Yugi asked innocently.

He giggled as Yami instantly blushed furiously, Yugi secretly flattered by his Dark's fantasies.

"If you weren't injured, you'd be subject to several pillow whackings I'll have you know," Yami stated, determinedly trying to quell his blush. "Wait, are you saying you've never thought about me that like that?"

It was Yugi's turn to blush bright red.

"Hey, I'm supposed to be the innocent one remember?" He shot back. "Besides, I told you before," Yugi's voice softened. "I think you're gorgeous. Especially those eyes of yours…"

Yami smiled, thinking about those words his Hikari had told him that morning. "I think you're beautiful too."

With another sigh, the boys cuddled up together again, finally allowing the fatigue to take over. And once again bathed in each other's loving embrace.

But there was no doubt about it.

They needed all the rest they could get.

Tomorrow morning was going to be extremely active.

THE END

YAY! Fluffy fluff fluff! Don't you just love fluff?

Whoo hoo! Another story finished! I can't believe it actually ended. I was all set to have a tragic ending about 5 chapters ago but my romantic heart wouldn't let me (INSERT 'awwws' HERE).

Anyway, I hope you people liked the story and the ending, I really had no idea how else to end it then having Yami and Yugi in bed together (hehe). That's pretty much how the other fic ended too.

So read, read again, cry a little and then review please! (I love reviews! Review twice if you like!)

Sorry if i havent acknowleged reviews much in this or any of my fics, but i really do love them all - it's just theres too many to thank so i like doing the BIG THANK YOUS when they count. like now - THANK YOU! plus when i read other people's fics i get annoyed by the amout of needless authoress notes there are.when all i wanna read is the stories, so i try to keep it as short as possible for you lovely people!(no offense intended for anyone, this is just my excluse for giving you the fic instead of me chatting on forever)

oh and thanks for the support after that 'her mother' review. honestly, what a bitch for saying that. i'm a damn good writer and this fic doesnt even have any smut in it! You can go to hell, you hear me? i'd love to see you ever TRY and write a better story then me you spineless, idiotic woman who can't control what her own kid reads - there's a rating sytem for a reason you imbecile! I would love to see you try and get a lawyer on me, you havent got a leg to stand on other then being a stupid mother, no court would ever side with you. How dare you trash my fictional works, you bloody moron. My fics are perfect for my audience!Go burn in hell.

Phew, anyway, sorry about that, that's my little rant out the way.(Seriously, i am a nice person, but i do not take cristism - unless it'sconstructive -very well, anyone who says something negatove about someone without avalid reason is just plain malicious and thought be metally tortured)

So, to continue,i hope you liked the story and the ending as much as i loved writing it!

If you loved this fic check out my other ones! Love you people!

YAY! GO FLUFF!

(Hugs all around from Princess Nefertari)

PS. There may be an epilogue, I'm not sure yet. Watch this space!


	36. Epilogue

Epilogue

Sakura bit her lip, slowly drying the glasses that Leo was handing her. Absently continuing with her chore, she watched her friends.

"Sakura?" Leo called softly.

Blinking, startled, Sakura looked up at him. "Sorry?"

Leo frowned slightly, handing her a plate. "What is it?"

Sakura's eyes flitted back to Yugi and Yami, currently sorting the dry kitchenware at the counter across the kitchen.

"Why aren't they talking?" Sakura whispered.

Leo smiled serenely. "They are, can't you see it?"

Sakura frowned, shaking her head in misunderstanding. With a tranquil sigh, Leo leaned closer to his young friend.

"Look closer," Leo whispered. "Some of the best conversations are held without words Sakura."

Sakura's eyes widened in sudden realisation.

Yugi and Yami were talking.

Not aloud, and not mentally.

With their smiles, their blushes, their eyes…and with every graceful brush of hands…

Sakura's eyes sparkled, finally seeing it. Finally seeing a form of communication that nothing other then love can channel.

"They are talking…" She murmured.

Suddenly the backdoor flew open - and a hand grasped Yugi's wrist, quickly and effectively dragging him outside.

"Hey!" Yami shouted furiously, the Sennen Eye symbol already blazing on his forehead.

"Cool your jets, pharaoh." Said a grating voice. "I'm just borrowing him."

Yugi closed his eyes, already walking away from the back door and into the sunlight, leaving Yami to glare at his so-called attacker.

"It's okay Yami," Yugi said without looking back.

Yugi ignored the sizzling glares being cast his way by his lover - even if they weren't meant for him - and sighed deeply, already knowing where this was heading.

"You didn't jump seven years ago." Said the new voice from before. "Why not?"

Yugi opened his eyes, turning his gaze away from the warm sunlight. "Why do you want to know?"

Bakura folded his arms across his chest, his green eyes narrowing in the younger teenager. "Because you owe me for saving your toushi three times in a row." His voice softened slightly. "And there's more going on here then you're letting on."

For a long moment, Yugi gazed at him, unsure whether or not to tell Bakura exactly what had happened that night seven years ago…

"Well?" Bakura said impatiently.

Yugi smiled. "Has anyone ever told you 'patience is a virtue'?"

Bakura glared at him. "One night spent with the pharaoh and you already sound like him."

Yugi blushed, but smiled anyway.

"I wasn't surprised to hear Yami's voice on the arch yesterday," Yugi told him, casting his gaze back up to the blue sky above. "No matter how desperate I was to get as far away from him as possible - I still expected to hear his voice."

Bakura frowned. "Why?"

"Because it'd been there the last time."

Bakura visibly flinched, taken aback.

"What? That can't be right, he was sealed in the Puzzle back then, he'd never even met you before."

Yugi sighed. "You have beliefs in fate and destiny, don't you Bakura? Think about it, I couldn't kill myself back then - or none of this would have ever happened - and you'd still be sealed in the Millennium Ring. You would never have met Ryou, or even have fallen in love with him."

Bakura quietened, considering this.

"So what did Yami say to you to not jump?"

"'How can I?'"

Bakura stared at him. "What?"

"That's what he said."

Yugi closed his eyes, thinking back to that night seven years ago…

_How can I?_

_How can I live if you die?_

_How can I protect you if you never release me?_

_How can I grow close to you if you never see me?_

_How can I love you if you leave before we meet?_

Thos words echoed through Yugi's mind, flowing across a thousand past memories to be heard by him now. It had been Yami's voice that had stopped him that night, even if he hadn't understood what he had meant at the time, or even known who Yami was.

Someone had been watching Yugi that night - and sympathising with him enough to send Yami's voice to him, saying the exact same things Yami had said to him throughout the three years they had known each other.

It was enough to stop him from ending his life, even if he didn't understand why.

And it was enough to stop Yugi from upsetting the balance and messing up the future altogether…

And Yami had said those exact same three words the day before…

"I didn't get it then, but I get it now." Yugi said softly. "And that's what matters."

Bakura went to speak - but he honestly didn't understand what this little kid was talking about.

Yugi smiled, watching him. "Its okay, Bakura, you don't have to understand, it's already happened so it doesn't matter anymore. Events happened just the way they're supposed to. And here we all are, exactly the way we're meant to be." Yugi smiled reassuringly. "If I had killed myself the balance would've been disrupted beyond repair. But now everything's…just fine."

Bakura frowned. "How the hell do you know this?"

"Yue told me." Yugi said simply. He smiled angelically. "Well this doesn't really sound like me talking does it?"

In reply, Bakura glared at Yugi.

"Well what's this balance got in store for us now?" Bakura demanded.

Yugi shrugged.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?" Bakura yelled furiously.

Yugi shrugged again. "Well it hasn't happened yet, so how can I tell you? I'm not psychic you know." He held back a giggle. "You're supposed to be the ancient one who knows all this stuff about destiny, aren't you?"

Bakura glared fiercely at him once more - before turning around and storming away.

Yugi felt arms slip around his waist from behind as the sound of a motorcycle engine slashed through the air, and gradually faded away.

"What did he want?" Yami asked curiously.

"Oh nothing," Yugi replied leaning back into his embrace. "He just wanted to glare at me some more for involving him in our little stunt yesterday."

Yami laughed softly. "Liar."

Yugi shrugged, turning around in his lover's arms. "So what shall we do now?"

His crimson eyes sparkling, Yami looked down at his little Hikari mischievously, making him look a whole lot sexier. "Well, there are a few things I'd like to do…"

Yami's heart thudded as that perfectly delightful suggestive smile crossed his Light's lips…and he waited for that wonderful sound…

Yugi giggled.

God that giggle sure did wonderful things…

THE END

Cute enough for you?

YAY FLUFF!


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